Naruto: ROTT II: Deathstroke in Konoha
by DarkUzumaki
Summary: Sequel to Naruto: Rise of the Titans Naruto's in his own world now. His adventures with the Titan's have changed him...he knows this. What he doesn't know is whats still to come. He thought his adventure was almost at an end, but it had only just begun.
1. Chapter 1 Averse Rebirth

Naruto:

**Naruto****:**

**Rise of the Titan's II**

**Deathstroke in Konoha**

**Chapter 1 Averse Rebirth**

Dreams and visions erupted in his mind.

Thoughts of fire, and screams of pain…even death.

Something was coming…

Something was here…

-

Naruto woke up abruptly. His body was sodden with perspiration, his heart beat loudly in his ears, and his breath came in sharp gasps.

The dreams had been affecting him more and more. They never stopped.

Usually he would simply try and dismiss them…but he couldn't. He was afraid.

That which made Naruto grasp onto these visions so tight was a feeling, it was a feeling that he could easily describe, yet find no logical reason for it's source. It was the feeling of being 'Real'.

He couldn't explain it, but he felt as though these dreams weren't dreams at all, as though they were warnings.

Naruto pushed the thoughts out of his mind and looked around him. He had been wandering the forest edges of Konoha for the past four days.

Naruto lay there on the soft grass beneath a small clearing in the canopy of trees above. The stars twinkled back at him and the night air gently caressed his face with a light breeze.

He was calm.

He noticed that there was the slightest tint of red to the edges of the sky, morning was coming.

Naruto picked himself up to his feet and commenced the same action he had undertaken every morning since he had been home.

He pushed his way through the foliage and looked out at the small fire lights of Konoha.

The town gazed back at him as though it harboured eyes of it's own. He longed to go there.

But he couldn't.

"I can never go back." He said to himself. "Those that would attack it come from the outside, if I go back…I would only find it harder to leave." He said this to himself as though for reassurance. He had recited this exact mantra every morning, as though to remind himself of his task.

He set off.

Naruto decided to head north.

Once again Naruto stuck to the edges of the forest. He had noticed himself unconsciously doing this as he travelled, it was as if his body wanted to stay as close to Konoha as possible.

He forced himself to turn deeper into the forest.

It was dangerous staying on the border. Fellow ninja's often trained or explored there, if he were caught…it would complicate anything.

Naruto walked for many hours, in the past he would have merely ran along the branches of the trees, but in the Titan world, he had found a sort of peace that came from walking. It was that which he currently sought after. That peace.

It came slowly but surely. Washing over him and removing all troubled thoughts. All except one…Raven. Or 'Rachel' as he was used to calling her now.

Naruto tried to force the image of her face out of his mind…but the more he tried, the clearer the image was.

A familiar ache struck him hard and he once again felt like he would rather die that live this life without her.

It was painful to be away. He had never thought that merely missing someone could cause him pain…but it did.

The very thought of her sent him weak, and the idea that he may never see her again…it was all but unbearable.

Three hours had passed and the sky above the canopy of trees had lightened to due to the rising sun.

He had now delved deep enough into the forest that he could no longer hear any sounds from the waking village of the Hidden Leaf.

Birds twittered in the sky and the sweet smell of flowers perfumed the air around him.

It also seemed a little damp, fresh, as though a storm had ended. Possibly only a few days ago, maybe just before he had returned.

He had yet to meet anyone from the village and for that he was than…

He stopped.

Naruto stood as still as any tree as he listened to his surroundings.

Someone was there.

The tiniest sound reached his ears. The swish of a single leaf, the swish of air as something sliced through it. A kunai.

Naruto jumped and barrel-rolled.

In the air, as he rolled, he managed to catch the kunai in between his index and middle finger. Once he landed, he used the momentum from his jump to throw the kunai back.

The blade flew into the tree's canopy of leaves from whence it came. A figure dived out of the vegetation and landed on the ground a few metres away, rolling to break it's fall.

Naruto looked.

It was one of the Anbu.

The catlike mask stared back at him. A brown robe flowed around the figures shoulder. The Anbu reached inside it's cloak, separating it for a second revealing a lithe male body, and drew out dual tanto's.

Naruto looked at the blades and then at the figure's mask. The Anbu certainly meant to use them.

This didn't make sense.

The Anbu were the protectors of Konoha, much like a police force, why would they attack him. Unless they didn't know it was him.

Naruto glanced down at his clothes.

They weren't his after all. His hair was probably still a shade or two lighter than it's original colour from when it had been dyed white, he was wearing black instead of his usual orange jumpsuit…and his eyes…Naruto obviously couldn't see them himself, but he knew they'd be different. After all, _he_ was different. He felt it, he knew it.

It wasn't any surprise the Anbu didn't know who he was.

He wanted to tell the Anbu to wait, that he was from Konoha…but Naruto realised…he couldn't.

If he told the Anbu who he was or that he was from Konoha, the Anbu might want to take him into custody. And while he ached to see his friends again, to see the beautiful buildings, the people, the monuments, the ramen…he couldn't. He could never go back.

The Anbu dived. His arms were crossed so his blades were facing opposite directions. When the masked attacker close, he slashed out with both blades in a scissor motion.

Naruto dodged back and retrieved his blade from his back.

The Ceremonial Tishmarr gleamed in the sunlight as it was drawn. It's duel bladed fire shape seemed to glow red in the radiance of the early day.

The Anbu spun and swung his tanto's in an attempt to slash Naruto's stomach.

Naruto swung the Tishmarr down and caught the Anbu's blade in between the Tishmarr's dual blades. Naruto spun the Tishmarr causing the Anbu's tanto's to fly out of their masters hands and up into the air.

The Anbu jumped and kicked Naruto in the chest, using him like a wall to kick off of into the air. The Anbu caught one of his blades whilst the other fell and stuck in the ground point-first.

Naruto's attacker slashed again. Naruto defended the blow and attempted to counter with a slash to the Anbu's head.

The masked figure ducked and made to thrust his blade into Naruto's chest.

Naruto side-stepped and spun around his opponent, whilst he span he struck the Anbu on the back with a back hand causing him to stumble forward and his tanto to strike the tree in front of him, embedding it's sharp blade into the bark.

Naruto placed the Tishmarr against the Anbu's throat causing the masked attacker to stiffen at the cold touch of the metal.

Naruto was about to speak when the Anbu slipped, the masked figure's feet slipped out from underneath him and the Anbu's head and throat slipped from Naruto's grasp.

As the Anbu fell, he used his feet to grab the handle of his tanto that was still embedded in the tree bark, he landed on the floor and pulled the blade from the tree and thrust the handle into Naruto's stomach knocking him back. The Anbu, somehow, spun the tanto in his foots grasp so that the blade faced Naruto.

The masked attacker, spun on the floor and thrust the blade at Naruto point-first.

Naruto dodged backwards quickly as the Anbu dropped the blade into his hands and flipped up from the ground flourishing the blade at Naruto.

Naruto defended the blow with the Tishmarr, but the Tanto got close enough to cause a nasty cut on his arm.

The Anbu delivered a swift kick to the side of Naruto's head sending him keeling to the ground.

The masked attacker ran for his other blade that was stuck in the ground only a few metres away.

Once the Anbu had reacquired his blade, he ran at Naruto and jumped.

Naruto just managed to see this in time.

The Anbu came down, points-first, Naruto rolled to the left and thrust up his feet.

The Anbu's blade's barely missed him, but Naruto's feet didn't. The struck the Anbu's face causing the attacker to fly backwards and strike the ground hard on his back.

Naruto jumped up to his feet and watched as the Anbu struggled to get up.

Supporting himself on one hand, the Anbu clutched his mask which now bared a large crack down it's surface.

One half of the Mask fell away and a green eyed, black haired youth looked back at him. Barely older than himself.

The Anbu shoved his blades back into their sheathes and scampered into the forest.

Naruto let him go.

It was only now, after the attack, that Naruto became aware of a sharp pain in his arm.

He looked down and saw a small cut through the fabric. The main of Naruto's armour was a Kevlar bi-weave, but he had been unlucky. The Anbu had struck some of the fabric for the joints that wasn't Kevlar.

Just his luck that on his first fight back, the enemy strikes a weak point.

Naruto sighed and clutched his other hand to the wound attempting to stop the bleeding.

It wasn't a bad cut, not very deep, but it still hurt.

Naruto reattached the Tishmarr to his back and carried on.

If he stayed, he'd surly be attacked again.

The Anbu didn't give up, but when they needed reinforcements…the got them. And the thought of having to face an entire group of Anbu's…well, it didn't bode well.

Naruto set off.

Naruto didn't know how long he had been walking, or how far. He had lost track a few hours ago and now he simply couldn't be bothered to think about it.

He passed through a bush and came to a halt.

He was on a cliff overlooking a large waterfall to his right.

Naruto looked left and saw that he had somehow walked in an arch and up a hill, because now Konoha sat on his right below him a few miles away surrounded by the dense forest.

Naruto looked at the village and his heart felt like it would burst.

He could never go back there.

This knowledge had begun to haunt his mind more and more as he had walked.

He could no longer be a part of Konoha…he could no longer know his friends…he could know longer strive to become hokage…he could no longer be a ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Naruto reached up and removed his headband.

He looked at it sorrowfully and slowly traced the leaf insignia with his index finger.

The surface was rough and scratched from years of use. It's band was worn and frayed in places.

To many it would just be a headband to protect ones head in combat…but to Naruto, it was something more.

It was his life. His reminder to himself that _he_ was a _ninja_. That he belonged to something that no one could take away. It was recognition. It was meaning. It was irreplaceable and his alone to understand, to live by…and only he could throw it away. Only he could forsake it.

But it had already been forsaken.

The moment he had decided that he would return to the Titan world he had forsaken everything else. His life, his passion, his dream…all for love.

It seemed unfair to him, that to attain love, one has to sacrifice everything else.

Naruto gripped his headband in his left hand and held it over the waterfall.

The roaring water pounded against the rocks and the forest pool below. Light sprays spat at him causing his eyelids to flicker in reaction.

Naruto ignored all this and continually stared at his headband…his symbol.

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

Naruto knew what he had to do.

If he truly wanted to be with Raven, if he truly wanted love above everything else, and if he truly wanted to move forward in his life…he had to first leave his old life behind.

A strange calm fell over him.

A small smile crept on his lips. Not out of happiness, but out of something else…realization.

"Everything has a price," he said to himself. "Even love."

He dropped the headband.

The metal and fabric protection gear flew from Naruto's hand and dropped swiftly down the cliff.

It seemed as though even in the act of falling, the headband offered a symbol.

A symbol of change.

A symbol of new life.

A symbol of averse rebirth.

Chapter 1 finished

A/N: Several things, one…a single definition that will probably be plaguing the minds of those not used to such literature.

Averse unwilling, unenthusiastic…effectively, it was a drastic change, a rebirth that was neither planned, comfortable, nor truly wanted. But was needed.

Also, as I stated at the end of the first book, this is the work of two authors. I gave you my account name…although those that have looked have not been able to find it. This is probably because I was a prick and gave the wrong username. blushes

**Cirrax Lankart **is an alias that I use on many other sites…but I remembered (just today I might add, which is currently several weeks later more blush) that I had decided to choose a different name for my account.

For those that wish for more of my works of literature outside of helping DarkUzimake with this, the proper account…is **Aerkoni**.

Btw, most my stories are originals, Look out for '**Bell'**. Now, happy reading. ;-)


	2. Chapter 2 Prisoner of War

Chapter 2 Prisoners of War

**A/N:** I'm sorry for this late update guys. This is purely my fault, not DarkUzumaki's. I've been going through some stuff and have been experiencing laptop problems and serious migraines. All of which have contributed to the postponement of this chapter. Once again, I'm sorry for this late update and I hope it wont happen again. For those of you that have reviewed, thank you very much, for those of you that haven't…don't be an ass. Read and review please, it's the way this works.

As for those of you who have searched for my account of 'Aerkoni', I regret to say don't bother. Despite my time reading many a fic on here, I have only just noticed now that they do not allow original stories which is what I profess in. I barely ever do fanfics as I like to be free with my writing and not restrained by trying to keep people in character. So chances are, my account will go untouched by any literature. But you can add me anyway to your favourites if you wish, there is a chance I will post some stories in the future…but don't count on it. If you wish to read some of my stories, they will be posted on .

Now media miner is in no way a better fanfiction site to this one. But it does allow original stories, hence why I chose it. My account on there is cirraxlankart.

Now I shall stop talking about myself and let you get on with reading the story. As stated before, it would be very nice if everyone would provide at least some form of review. But while a few words still count, it would also be nice if people would be a little more in-depth. Please, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated and will be taken notice of. Thank you for all your help.

Remember, it's you the fans that keep me and DarkUzumaki writing, so if you don't review, we'll think your not interested and stop the story. He, he, he.

I'm sorry for taking up so much of your reading time. Please forgive me and enjoy this latest chapter.

- -Aerkoni

**Chapter 2 Prisoner of War**

A prisoner.

That's what he felt like, although he wasn't being kept in…he was being kept out.

Out of the one place in _this_ world that he wanted to be. Konoha.

But the promise of being where he truly wanted to be in _any_ world, stead his feet whenever he found himself wandering towards the village.

Naruto stood there and let his thoughts drift away as the cold water lapped at his feet.

He was currently standing in a small stream, merely using the water to relax his body, more than wash any accumulated dirt from his skin.

His eyes were closed as he thought about everything that had happened to him. Everything it might have meant, everything it would mean in the future, and everything it meant to him now.

He'd changed. He knew it. He had looked at his reflection in the rippling water and had barely been able to recognize himself. His hair was the slightest bit longer, and still a lighter shade. His skin was lighter too, probably from the months in the H.I.V.E. Head Quarters that now stood in…Well; to be honest it doesn't stand at all.

But the most drastic change was his eyes. They were harder…more…well, they were simply more.

He felt different too. Several times, since he had been attacked, he had come within meters of people. Generally kids that were simply playing where they shouldn't be. While before he knew that he would have probably pulled a practical joke on them or something of the like, this time, instead he had merely watched them, keeping hidden.

Love certainly did strange things to ones personality.

Suddenly, Naruto snapped out of his peaceful contemplation by a sound. He didn't open his eyes…he was afraid of what he'd see.

He slowly dared to open his eyes. He was surrounded.

The moment he saw them his hand was on the Tishmarr's hilt. He didn't draw it yet, he merely stood there gripping it's handle, ready to attack if he was provoked.

Anbu surrounded him. Their white masks gleaming and shimmered in the light reflecting off the water.

Naruto stood perfectly still.

The very air was thick with tension as they stared at each other. Twenty-five he countered.

Too many. Far too many.

Naruto's hand on the Tishmarr relaxed and he slowly let it go. He stood up straight with his hands by his side.

Casually, he walked to the side of the stream and returned his footwear to his feet.

He then walked up to what looked like the leader of the group and held out his hands, palm up, fists clenched, ready to be placed in shackles.

The Anbu before him retrieved the shackles from his belt and slapped them onto Naruto. They walked towards the village.

The Anbu flanked him at all directions, obviously to prevent his escape.

They walked him through the giant brown gates and they began their journey through Konoha.

The village hadn't changed. But then again, he had only been gone a few months, he hadn't really expected it to.

They were walking through the main street that ran through the centre of the village, on either side residential houses swarmed with bustling people. Most of them stopped to stare at Naruto and Anbu.

They passed a training ground and soon walked past the large Konoha Stadium. In barely a few minutes they were passing in front of the Hospital.

Haruno Sakura picked up her bag and groceries. She carries the plastic bag of good in her left hand and exited the hospital.

She stared at her feet for a while merely standing there. She was worried. Naruto had been gone for over five and a half months now…where could he be?

She took a step forward and almost bumped into someone. She hastily apologised.

She dropped her groceries.

The Anbu walked through the middle of the town escorting a prisoner…but it was not this that caught her attention…it was the prisoner that was with them.

Naruto.

Naruto had seen her, but he had avoided her eyes. He couldn't look at her. He could no longer be their friends. If he was…he wouldn't be able to leave. And whilst a life without his friends was almost unbearable, a life without Raven _WAS_ unbearable.

He allowed the Anbu to take him to the Hokage Mountain.

He was then led up a set of stairs to the very top of the giant monument to the Hokage. Then he was taken to the Anbu's headquarters. There was no doubt they would question who he was, once they found out he would either be tortured (if the council could do anything about it, that's exactly what would happen) or the most likely aspect of being let go.

Naruto had never seen inside the Anbu base before. Few had.

The walls were a chrome colour and seemed to be made of metal. He was led down several corridors to a door. The door was slid open and he was pushed inside. Two of the Anbu followed him in and stripped him of his weapons, all except the hidden blade in the gauntlet Beastboy had given him. Once he was bare of his arms, they left the room and slammed the door.

How long had it been?

Weeks? Days? Mere hours?

Naruto couldn't be sure. He hadn't been fed and he was soon getting very hungry. It was only as he heard the sound of footsteps reach his ears that he was distracted from the churning in his stomach.

His door was soon wrenched open and two Anbu walked in. The attached a link to his shackles and pulled him through the door, forcing him to follow them.

He walked without speaking a word. The Anbu themselves also never spoke. But Naruto managed to guess a few details about them.

The one on the right was female he had to guess, while any distinctive features like hair and breasts were obscured by the black cloak she wore, Naruto surmised her gender through the way she walked.

The one on the right was male and seemed to have a lasting leg injury. This was apparent that while it was only slight and almost unnoticeable, the man walked with a slight limp in his right leg.

Naruto was shown down several corridors until they finally stopped in front of a single door exactly the same as the kind to the cell they had kept him in minutes before.

It was opened.

Green eyes met blue.

Recognition past between them instantly.

Yamanaka Ino stared back at him. Her golden locks were tied behind her head except for two waves that hung at either side of her cheeks, framing her face. She wore her general ninja outfit without her headband.

She had obviously been called for the interrogation, after all, her mind switching technique would allow her to glimpse his mind to tell whether he was telling the truth…she would certainly be useful in this situation.

She stared back at him with a shocked expression.

"Naruto." Was all it appeared she could say.

They stared at each other for a long period of time before she glanced at the two Anbu that still stood by his side.

"Release him." She ordered.

They did as they were told. Unlocking the shackles and freeing his wrists.

Naruto walked forward and sit in a nearby chair without saying a word.

The room around him was simple. There was no windows, and a single bulb shone above his head, illuminating the area. A small metal table sat between him and ??, who sat down as well.

"Naruto, where have you been? The council was almost ready to state you a missing ninja." She asked him.

Naruto thought of what to say, he could tell her the truth…but it was an unbelievable story, and if someone did believe it, it would only cause attention and curiosity. Both of which would hinder his current objective.

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry." He said.

Ino was taken back.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "You seem…different." She looked him over with inquisitive eyes. "What are you wearing? And what's happened to your hair and skin and…" She stared into his eyes for what seemed like forever before asking, "what's happened to you?"

Naruto turned away from her and stood up.

"I can't tell you, now if I'm free to go…" he assumed and walked towards the door. The Anbu blocked his path.

"Actually Naruto. Your not free to go. Do you know why you were arrested?" She asked him.

He turned to her without saying a word. He got the feeling she was going to tell him anyway.

"There have been several strange attacks around the village…a few people have been killed. You, it seems, were where you shouldn't have been and have ended up here as a result. That or you were there for a purpose."

Naruto was shocked.

"Are you saying you think I attacked those people?" He asked in a startled voice.

Ino looked away.

"Usually I'd say 'no' with you…but I can see you've changed Naruto, and in ways I don't know yet. What am I supposed to think?" She asked.

Naruto was dumbstruck.

"I'm sorry Naruto." She said shaking her head. "But I can't trust you to speak for yourself…I have to do this." She said this slowly. Then very quickly she placed her hands together to form a diamond shape. Her mind switching Jutsu!

"Shintenshin no Jutsu!" She exclaimed rapidly.

Naruto braced himself for the inevitable result of her chakra ability.

It never came.

Ino rapidly placed her hands together to form a diamond shape, focusing her chakra on Naruto. She felt her mind cloud over and reach out to Naruto's, her vision went blank and she closed her eyes. Her mind slowly melded with his and…WAIT! Something was wrong.

A blinding flash of light erupted in her mind and caused a burning sensation to spread through her consciousness causing something akin to pain. It wasn't physical so there was no reason that it should have made her scream, but she screamed anyway. In one moment she saw a single image from his mind…a giant black bird with four diamond red eyes.

Naruto hadn't felt a thing, but suddenly Ino screamed in front of him, causing her to fall back and him to jump up in fright.

Ino dropped to the floor and crouched there gasping for breath. Her head snapped up and glared at Naruto with such intensity he felt himself give an involuntary shiver.

"Naruto…I'll ask you one last time…What has happened to you?" She asked sternly.

Naruto shook his head.

"I told you…I can't tell you."

They stared at each other for a lengthy period of time before either of them spoke.

"The Naruto I know would never have committed these attacks…is he still in there?" She asked.

Naruto looked at her with knowing eyes.

"He never left, Ino. He just grew up." He replied.

Ino's expression hardened.

"Then I want you to look me straight in the eyes and tell me you didn't perform these attacks." She demanded.

"Ino…" He said staring into her cerulean pupils. "I did not attack these people."

Ino Yamanaka stared at him for a long time before nodding resolutely.

"You can go." She stated kindly.

"Thank you. May I retrieve my weapons." Naruto asked respectfully.

Ino stared a little confused.

"You have changed." She said cocking her head to one side. She eventually nodded to the two Anbu at the door who left and returned a minute or two with his kunai's and Tishmarr.

Ino stared at the blade and it's strange shape. She marvelled as the dual points glinted in the light and how the material itself seemed of strange origin.

"Where'd you get that?" She asked.

Naruto hesitated for a moment before turning and looking over his shoulder at her.

"It was a gift."

The walk back through the Anbu HQ was as boring as it was coming through, the two that led him were the same two from before and even by their aid of finding his way out, he found the layout of the facility far more complex than he had first realized.

When Naruto finally made it to the surface again, he was let go. The Anbu retreated back inside the facility and Naruto walked to the edge of the Hokage monument.

Naruto stared at the faces carved into the rock below him and felt a well of respect for the old ninja's…a respect he had never felt. He had felt awe, and a desire to be them…but never respect. It seemed that all his previous transgressions in the past had been out of a general disrespect for those around him. He knew that would have to change.

He began his descent.

Jumping from rock to rock until his feet landed on solid ground at the bottom.

Naruto had been looking at the ground when he landed…when he looked up he was rather shocked.

The entire village was there.

As well as Sakura.

The pink haired girl stared at him with eyes of a similar colour to her hair.

"Naruto?" She asked in a voice that showed a large amount of disbelief.

Naruto tried to think of something to say…but a voice at the back of his mind announced itself.

'_Don't kit. Just walk away…you came here to ensure this place was safe…not be reunited with friends. Walk away._'

He knew Kyuubi was right.

If he went with his friends…it would be harder than ever to leave. And he had to leave.

Naruto turned to the left and began walking away.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

He was walking away…it was defiantly him…but he was walking away without saying a word.

The nerve!

She ran up to him and tugged at his shoulder forcing him to stop walking.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! Where have you been? We've been worried sick! What if there was an attack? There were attacks actually…several, but you weren't here to help! Where did you get that sword? Is that a sword? What is that? What's with your clothes? Naruto…" She suddenly realised a major change. It was more subtle and yet more powerful than any change of clothes or hair or character…Naruto wasn't wearing his headband. "Naruto?" She began softly. "Where's your headband?"

Naruto turned to her slightly.

"I threw it away." Was all he said.

_WHAT!_

Sakura's mind crashed in that one instant.

Naruto + Headband Throw Away…HELL NO!

The fist came out of nowhere, it was stronger than any ox or bear, it was faster than lightning, and it struck Naruto's cheek.

He flew.

Chapter Finished

**A/N:** Sorry if we kept you in suspense. ;


	3. Chapter 3 Ghost of the Sharingan

Chapter 3 Birds and Bad Luck

**A/N:**

IT LIVES! IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE! MUHUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

That's right…THE CHAPTER IS FINALLY DONE! And if I ever find out who stole the fking original pen/flash drive, I'm going to remove their reason for wearing a lion-cloth. That's if they wear one any way.

It had a picture of the Tishmarr on their I wanted to show you all. 

Oh well. If I get it back I'll show ya. ;-)

Ok. This chapter is, if I do say so myself, SWEET. I know your going to love it. Sorry for the wait people. The next chapter has already been started and will be up soon. ;-)

Remember. Read, review and give us idea's. WE NEED THEM!

And anyway…if you don't review…we wont write. Call it blackmail if you will. :D

**Chapter 3 Ghost of the Sharingan**

Naruto sat at his home, massaging his cheeks as he remembered the earlier sequences of the day.

He remembered the blow to the face, the sound of the wind rushing in his ears, and the sight of the wall coming towards him at high speeds.

It had hurt quite a bit. But not as much as his ears did when he was shouted at.

Sakura had been very pleased to see him it seemed…she was just too mad to show it. That is at least what Naruto thought anyway.

Before him on the table sat a bowl of his favourite Ramen. Oh how he had missed this delectable dish.

He picked up his chopsticks and was about to dig in when he was interrupted.

"I'd heard you were back."

Naruto almost jumped out of his skin.

He turned towards the window and there sat Sasuke on the ledge. He wore the same blue top and black shorts as he always had and his face harboured more or less the same expression that could only be described as "bored".

His eyes were the same pitch black as they had always been and his black hair did nothing to contrast his overall look. Which in itself could be summed up completely in a single word…'Dark'.

Naruto stood up out of his seat, a shocked expression adorned his face. He didn't know whether to feel angry…happy…relieved or what. Sasuke was back.

"What…when…" He tried to convey in words what he felt but found it was quite impossible.

"Karin, a member of my group, is able to pinpoint chakra signals from _any_ distance. Someone, it seems, completed my mission for me. I am not best pleased."

Naruto felt confused.

"Wait…what mission?" Then it suddenly clicked.

Memories struck back like lightning through his mind. All sight and hearing went in an instant as he relived the beginning of the journey he had been through and was still treading.

The pain was so strong in his memory it was like it was really there. He felt himself clutch his sides at the agony. It was so vivid.

The red chakra coils stretching from his body.

The nine Akatsuki surrounding him, drawing on the coils.

One of the them…

It was…

It was…

Itachi Uchiha.

He was with them…he had been absorbed with the rest.

Kyuubi had taken the Akatsuki's bodies and transformed them into raw chakra…which he had then used to empower the portal beneath his feet.

Itachi had been killed with the others.

Naruto opened his eyes and looked into Sasuke's.

It was as if the knowledge had somehow passed between them, because in that moment, Sasuke knew.

Naruto could see it in the boys eyes.

Sasuke looked down at the table, his hair causing a dense shadow to appear over his eyes so the became almost invisible.

"Naruto." He said coldly. "My brother was mine to kill." He said in the same manner. "HE WAS MINE!"

In an instant Naruto found himself up against the wall, with Sasuke's hand clutching his throat.

Naruto couldn't feel the floor beneath his feet, Sasuke was holding him up by his neck.

The black haired youth had improved.

But so had Naruto.

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as the point of a kunai touched against the back of his neck.

The Naruto in his grasp vanished in a puff of smoke.

Naruto was about to tell Sasuke to calm down, but the youth acted before he could.

Sasuke spun around and made to back-hand Naruto, the blonde-haired boy managed to dodge backwards just in time to avoid it, but he never noticed Sasuke's kick until it collided with his stomach.

Naruto flew backwards, bursting through his door and smacking his back on the wall beyond.

In a second Sasuke was next to him, perfectly silent and perfectly swift.

The fist flew hard and fast, colliding with Naruto's face sending him sprawling on the ground.

Sasuke was above him in an instant, his foot swinging in an ark as he made to axe kick down, his face contorted with rage.

The foot was stopped.

Kakashi crouched before Naruto, his left hand above his head casually gripping Sasuke's foot.

The Jonin looked at Naruto with closed carefree eyes and the air of a smile about him.

"Hello Naruto. Where have you been all this time?" He asked with a light hearted voice.

Naruto looked up at him, his cheeks swollen and his lip bloody from Sasuke's beatings.

Naruto grinned.

"Just got lost on the path of life, Sensei"

Kakashi seemed to smile even more.

"Good to hear."

The Jonin opened his eyes and looked behind him at Sasuke. The boys face was contorted with anger and loathing.

"I see you've returned as well Sasuke."

The black-haired boy visibly gritted his teeth.

"Get out of my way Kakashi! Naruto killed…"

"Your brother I know. And your angry because he stole your mission from you, denied you your vengeance. Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke…I have no intention of standing in your way."

Naruto was shocked.

"In fact…I'm going to do the precise opposite. You want to fight Naruto…you can. I'll even set up a match. Call it…some more training." Kakashi's tone was as light hearted as ever. His eyes almost sparkled with enjoyment.

"I don't need any training!" Sasuke's kicked out at the Sensei, but the only thing he hit was the wall. Causing it to break and crack, and his leg to become bruised and him to fall over.

Kakashi now stood behind him, looking down at Sasuke as the boy lay on the floor, nursing his leg.

"Apparently in self control you do." The Jonin said with a hint of amusement.

"I have more Chakra control than even you! Don't lecture me!"

Kakashi suddenly had an air of seriousness about him.

"I never said Chakra control. I said _self_ control. You've always been so impulsive, no matter how logical your thoughts, your emotions always drive you. Revenge, rage, sorrow, anger. You live off these Sasuke. They make you strong, yet they also make you weak."

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock and a heightened air of antagonism surrounded him.

"I AM NOT WEAK!" Sasuke flipped up and swung for Kakashi, but his fist only stuck the wall like his leg had before. The wall cracked and splintered, layers of plaster fell off at Sasuke's strength. But the only thing that was truly damaged was his hand. A small trickle of blood leaked off his knuckles.

"Your right." Kakashi said from behind him. "Your not weak…not in strength, speed or skill. But in mind and control…you are still but a child. Your impulsive and reckless, always aiming to do it all alone and take down anyone that questions you or gets in your way."

Kakashi sighed.

"You have amazing chakra abilities Sasuke, your skill is unsurpassed…maybe by even me. But you would never beat me. Why? Because you have no control…and I have plenty. Follow me. We'll go to the training area now."

Sasuke surprisingly listened. He kept his head down and a dark fury surrounded him as he, Naruto and Kakashi made their way to the training area.

The soon found themselves on the original training ground of their first test, where Naruto had been tied to a stump.

Kakashi made them both stand at either side of the large boulder in the training area, while he himself sat on it.

Kakashi reached inside his pouch and retrieved a pink book.

On the front cover, laid in blue bold writing was the title, 'Icha Icha Paradise".

"You wanna fight? Do it around me. _Without_ hitting me once. Because if you hit me…" He sighed. "I'll just kill you with the lightning blade." Kakashi said with yet another annoyingly light hearted voice.

Naruto and Sasuke's face showed signs of shock at the Jonin's words.

He set about reading his book and gave a sigh.

"Begin."

Naruto couldn't believe what he heard…Kakashi-sensei had threatened to kill them. If they hit him anyway…Naruto thought he had enough self control to avoid hitting his teacher…but what about Sasuke.

The youth was angry and impulsive…Naruto was afraid for his life.

What if Sasuke hit Kakashi? Was he fast enough to save him? What if…

The kick entered his peripheral vision and Naruto only just had time to dodge, he bent backwards and the kick past over him, but then it struck down, Sasuke's heel driving into his gullet.

Naruto yelled in pain and slammed down on the ground, he managed to roll backwards and narrowly avoid another blow from Sasuke.

Naruto dived over Sasuke's and Kakashi's head, his sensei didn't flinch in the slightest, Naruto landed on the other side of the boulder and halted.

"Sasuke please. I don't want to fight you…"

He was cut short. Cut being the operative word.

For in that moment…Sasuke drew his blade.

The Shirasaya style Katana glimmered in the sun. Sasuke's head was lowered…his eyes obscured by a dark shadow.

The drawing of the blade from it's sheath was a slow and almost painful process.

Even Kakashi looked up from his book…though this was only to shrug and return to reading.

"Naruto…" Sasuke began darkly. "You took away everything when you killed him. Everything I've ever believed in. It should have been me to end his life…"

Suddenly Sasuke was directly in front of Naruto, it seemed he had somehow teleported…or at least had moved so fast that Naruto had been unable to follow it with his eyes.

"It should have been ME!"

He slashed down with furious anger and speed.

Naruto grasped the Tishmarr, brought it out and placed in the path of Sasuke's sword.

The Tishmarr blocked the blow.

Everything halted.

The air was still.

Sasuke stood there with a look of ultimate shock.

'_He blocked it._' These were the only thoughts that swam through Sasuke's mind.

He stared at the Naruto's blade…the duel blades side by side. He travelled his eyes down it and saw how the metal bent and formed a kind of flame style…the spike in the centre…the dull grey material it was made of shone in the sun yet seemed dull…but the edge. Sasuke couldn't see it. He tried to focus his eyes. He felt his Sharingan seep into his vision…yet even with it's enhanced sight he could see no edge.

This blade was not made to block…it was made to cut.

Suddenly Sasuke's mind snapped back to the moment. He brought his sword back and then thrust forward, sending a bolt of lightning through the blade.

Naruto dodged to the side, parrying the blow.

Sasuke watched as Naruto's blade struck his, the electric current through his blade shorting out.

Naruto's blade didn't conduct electricity…it couldn't be cut…it had an edge so fine it could not be seen with Sharingan eyes. WHAT WAS IT MADE OF?

Naruto kicked out, Sasuke dodged and jumped to the other side of the boulder.

"Where did you get that blade?"

Naruto stared at him, his eyes looked down at the ground.

"It was a gift from a friend."

Naruto's memories struck him again as they often did. Starfire…he saw her giving him the Tishmarr. The Ceremonial Blade given to those that come of age on Tammoran…Starfire's place of birth.

These memories hurt.

They were not particularly sad or even particularly happy…but they were precious. And he missed them greatly.

"I'm sorry Sasuke." Naruto looked at the ground, his hair shadowing his eyes. "I'm sorry for what I've done to you. I was attacked and captured by the Akatsuki. They tried to extract Kyuubi via the use of strange chakra coils. Nine of them. Kyuubi fought back…he converted them all into raw chakra…" Naruto paused.

Then he said it.

"Including your brother."

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock.

Naruto continued.

"He absorbed them…their chakra is still within me…not much of it…but it's there. I've been afraid of it Sasuke. Because of what it's done to me."

Naruto looked up and Sasuke almost fell back in shock.

Naruto's eye.

His left eye.

It was faint…it wasn't actually there…not properly…but it was like…like it wanted to be. Like it flowed in his veins but couldn't quite exist in the eye…but it was unmistakable.

Naruto's left eye had become a deep and menacing red, yet slightly transparent against his natural blue. And within that eye…lay a single black tamoe that symbolised one thing…Sharingan.

Naruto now held the properties of the Sharingan within his chakra…but it was incomplete. It needed the actual eyes of a Uchiha to activate it's power.

But Sasuke was sure that Naruto was stronger…it hadn't been there before…which meant Naruto had called it. He had some of it's gifts.

His stature was stronger…his eyes resolute. The way his eyes perceived the black-haired youth told of a deeper analysis of himself than any normal eye could obtain.

Yes…Naruto had some Sharingan gifts. But they were slight…incomplete. Perhaps one day...Sasuke thought that with enough will, perhaps Naruto could unlock the Sharingan…and fuse it's chakra with his own eyes.

Sasuke stood up straight and stared with resolute determination at Naruto.

"So you carry my brothers chakra…the ghost of the Sharingan lays in your eye. When did you know this?"

Naruto didn't need to think of the answer. He knew he was going to be asked it and so his answer was ready before the question was asked.

"Yesterday. I was soaking my feet in a stream and I saw my reflection…I saw the red tint in my eye. I saw the faint black tamoe. I knew then. It was then that the Anbu came for me and brought me back."

Suddenly the air of tension was struck like a knife by Kakashi's next words.

"Single eye Sharingan…wow. That's original." He commented without looking up from his book. "Your not going to start dressing like me are you?"

"No need Kakashi-sensei. I can disable it in a moment. I learnt while the Anbu had me locked up…the walls are made of metal in there…I used my reflection to practice."

"Aren't you special. You always did feel the need to explain yourself, not that anyone cares whether you do. Are you two going to talk all day?" Kakashi asked, looking up from his book for a moment.

"Naruto." Sasuke began. "You took that which gave my life meaning. I don't care how…I don't care why. You took it. And that's that. And because of it…you must pay."

Sasuke charged, his head kept down, he ran at the boulder, jumped over it made to hack down at Naruto.

The Sharingan glimmered in Naruto's eyes.

Naruto dodged sideways, but Sasuke kicked out with his foot, driving it into Naruto's stomach.

He swung his sword again, Naruto just dodged it by bending backwards. Using his momentum, Naruto flipped up, driving his foot into Sasuke's chin.

Sasuke flew back and struck the floor hard.

Naruto charged, Sasuke flipped up threw a roundhouse kick at Naruto, the boy dodged. The kick kept going. Kakashi was in it's way.

Kakashi saw the kick coming before the foot was first lifted from the ground. The book was dropped onto the ground, his hands came together, formed the hand-seals: ox, rabbit and monkey.

The lightning sprung to life in his left hand, he spun around, caught Sasuke's foot before it hit him and shoved his hand full of lightning inches from Sasuke's face.

Sasuke stood there in shock. The blazing chakra before his eyes, raising the fine hairs on his cheeks with the static energy.

The lightning dissipated quickly.

Kakashi looked angry.

"What did I say about self control?" The sensei asked darkly.

Sasuke jumped backwards and looked directly at Naruto.

"I'll show you control."

Sasuke's hands came together and quickly enacted hand seals: Monkey, Dragon, Rat, Bird, Ox, Serpent, Dog, Tiger, Monkey!

The electricity flamed into life in Sasuke's hand, he dived at Naruto. Naruto made to dodge.

"By the way, Naruto. I heard from some others that two girls have been looking for you." Kakashi began. "One apparently has large pink hair and pasty skin, the other is also pale. And wears a dark blue robe."

Naruto faltered.

One name ran through his mind at the description.

Raven.

The Chidori struck him.

Chapter 3 finished


	4. Chapter 4 Birds and Bad Luck

Chapter 4 Birds and Bad Luck

**Chapter 4 Birds and Bad Luck**

The Chidori came dangerously close as Naruto's footing faltered. Just in time he managed to dodge slightly to the side, his arm getting sliced by the electrical energy.

Ignoring the flash of deep pain that ripped through his arm he quickly dived at Kakashi as Sasuke struck the ground with his attack, sending rock and dirt into the air.

Naruto pinned Kakashi down and screamed at him.

"WHERE?" Kakashi merely pointed behind himself in the direction of the woods.

Naruto sprang to his feet and ran at a deathly speed.

He heard as he ran for the trees Sasuke's voice sound out behind him.

"GET BACK HERE NARUTO!"

Naruto didn't stop.

- - -

Kakashi placed a hand on the panting Sasuke to stop him following the other youth.

Sasuke made to kick out at the Jonin but it was easily defended.

"Sasuke, did you really think I had no ulterior motive to allowing you to fight Naruto?" Kakashi seemed to smile again. His eyes were closed and carefree. "I wanted Naruto to tire you out. So that you could be arrested properly."

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock.

"What? Did you think that because I was once your sensei I wouldn't turn you in? You're a missing nin, Sasuke. A traitor to the village. I'm afraid I really have no choice but to hand you over to the council."

Kakashi's hand came out of nowhere and struck the back of Sasuke's neck. Sasuke gasped and slumped forward…relatively limp in the sensei's arms.

- - -

He entered the forest, and began leaping from trunk to trunk, kicking off of them and propelling himself through the foliage.

Kakashi sensei had said they were in this direction…but how far he didn't know. And he didn't know how old the report was. Raven could be gone by now. But what about the other girl that was mentioned. Pale with big pink hair. Could they mean…no. She couldn't be here also.

But Raven may not be here either…it was only a report…and all the description he had got was pale with a blue cloak. Does that necessarily mean Raven?

Yes. Naruto new it had to be her. He didn't know why or how he knew…he just did.

Naruto ran on, jumping from trunk to trunk like an expert.

Suddenly he felt the need to stop. Like he was meant to stop. So he did.

He found himself in a small clearing.

There were no sounds…not even birds. Which was very strange as the birds twittered away annoyingly quite a bit at this time of year.

He listened.

And listened.

The sound of his own heartbeat thumped loudly in his ears.

There!

The crack of a twig. It wasn't Raven…Raven could fly. She wouldn't let herself be discovered by someone by being so careless as to walk.

The Tishmarr was sprung from it's sheath, it glittered in the light. He brought it round and slashed out, missing the person that was behind him by mere inches and slicing straight through a tree with complete ease.

He looked around but couldn't find anyone there. He felt a slight bit more weight on the end of his blade and looked at it.

Standing on the tip of his blade, wearing a purple dress with large pink hair and pasty skin. Large blush circles adorned her cheeks. And her eyes stared into his.

Jinx.

They stared at each other for barely a moment before she dived on him. Holding him close.

"SHADOW! Or…Naruto…whichever! I DON'T CARE!" She nuzzled her head into his body and he welcomed her closeness.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM!" A duelled demonic voice screamed. Jinx was suddenly forced off of him and smacked into a tree.

Naruto turned and saw Raven there with glowing white eyes.

- - -

Sasuke opened his eyes wearily.

His memories flooded back to him and he cursed himself.

He knew his anger had gotten the best of him…that was why Kakashi was able to knock him out so easily. It had been a trap from the beginning.

"BAKA!" He screamed at himself, thumping the metallic wall next to him.

He didn't need to look around. He knew where he was.

He was locked in the Anbu HQ.

He looked up at the door and decided he had no desire to stay.

Sasuke approached it and began enacting his Chidori hand-seals.

Nothing happened.

He stared at his hands in disbelief. He tried to call up his Sharingan. His vision shifted slightly but the Kekkei Genkai never took hold.

He grew angry again and slammed on the doors.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?" He demanded.

The door was suddenly opened and a large foot connected with his abdomen sending him sprawling backwards.

A single Anbu walked through the door and looked down at him. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

Pulling himself to his feet, Sasuke charged.

He punched out at the Anbu but his fist was caught and he was easily thrown to the floor again.

The Anbu stepped aside and Ino Yamanaka walked in and looked down at him with a pitying expression.

"You really shouldn't do that when you can't use chakra." She said with a sly tone in her voice.

"What did you do to me?" Sasuke demanded in a weak voice, still hurting from the blows.

"We injected a serum into you that suppresses chakra. You wont be able to use it for a few hours. If you haven't found out already, your Sharingan won't work either." A smile adorned her face and Sasuke new she was enjoying this.

Ino had for a long time had a large crush on Sasuke, and he knew this. But Sasuke had never returned those feelings. Obviously this had given birth to a form of love/hate relationship in her mind. If she couldn't have Sasuke love her…she probably wanted him to fear her. Or at least beg at her feet.

"Your not getting out of here Sasuke. Tomorrow you'll go before the council. And your punishment for your crimes…will probably be death." She said with a smile. That smile then turned into a grin. "But I can get you out. That is…with the right persuasion." Her voice held the ultimate hint. He knew what she was going to ask before she asked it.

"Sasuke…if you be my boyfriend, I'll let you go." Her eyes were highly mischievous."

Sasuke shrugged.

"If that's what you wanted all this time, you could have just asked me before hand. I've always liked you Ino. Of course I'll be your boyfriend."

He approached her and caressed her face. He then hesitated and looked at the Anbu. He looked from her the Anbu several times, pleading with his eyes.

Ino understood.

She nodded to the Anbu and the tall masked figure exited the room. Sasuke approached Ino and brought his lips romantically to hers.

He held her tight…then suddenly, he threw her behind him, closed the door and locked it from the outside.

She dived at the door, ramming into it, trying to get free.

Sasuke shook his head in pity.

"Why would I ever want to be with you, Ino?" He said harshly.

Ino felt tears weltering up in her eyes.

Suddenly, Sasuke heard the sound of footsteps coming closer. He darted the other way.

The inside of the Anbu HQ was built to be confusing and difficult to navigate. But Sasuke knew where to go. When he had attempted to use his Sharingan, he had managed to hold it for only a second. But that second was long enough for him to memorise the way out.

The constantly tread pathways of the Anbu HQ almost shone with residual chakra energy that had leaked off others. This residual energy never lasted very long, but the constant come and go of Anbu had made the path quite clear and distinct to his Sharingan eyes.

He ran.

- - -

Naruto stared at Raven for a long time.

He couldn't quite believe that she was here.

"Rachel." He said softly.

He stepped forward but she stepped back.

"What..?" He began but stopped himself.

Raven was looking between him and Jinx.

He knew what she was thinking.

"Rachel it's not like that. It was just a hug." He tried to explain.

"I know what it was. You held her like you held me. You love her too."

Naruto saw tears welling up in Raven's eyes. The thought of her crying was almost unbearable…and the thought of her leaving him _was_ unbearable.

Raven looked away. "You love her, I know you do. I saw it. How can you love her?" She turned towards him but it seemed he had managed to get close to her without making a sound or her sensing him.

Naruto pressed his lips firmly against hers.

Raven was shocked…but soon melted into the kiss. Her cloak changed to a pure white at his contact and she pressed her body close to his as they embraced.

Naruto broke the kiss and looked into her eyes.

"I love you…and only you."

Tear ran down Raven's cheeks and she clung to him tightly, burying her head in his shoulders.

The sound of different sobs met his ears. Naruto turned and saw Jinx standing their, tears pouring from her eyes.

"Jinx…I'm sorry."

She shook her head vigorously and made to run away. She suddenly bumped into someone.

"WOW! FOREIGN HOTTY!" The legendary Sannin beamed down at Jinx with a look of perverse amusement. His eyes and nostrils wide, his mouth fixed into a large grin.

Jiraiya.

The horned head-band that adorned his forehead bore the Japanese Kanji for 'oil'. His large, almost trademark, white hair stood up proud. He wore his general garments of a red vest and grey bottoms with sandals.

He looked past Jinx and suddenly laid eyes on Raven.

Her hood had come down and her purple hair blew in the wind.

Jiraiya's eyes almost popped out their sockets.

He was next to her in the blink of an eye.

He opened his mouth and was about to say something but was quickly silenced by a large foot in the face.

Naruto knocked Jiraiya to the floor and began stamping on his head.

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, ERO-SANNIN!"

"But Naruto, I thought we were partners in perversion?"

Naruto stomped harder.

"NOT ANYMORE!"

Raven and Jinx now stood side-by-side, feeling very uncomfortable with the current situation. The impression of large sweat-drops on the back of their head was the first thing that came to mind.

Naruto popped up in front of them, a hand scratching the back of his head.

"Erm…sorry about that. That's Jiraiya. He's a self-proclaimed super-pervert."

Suddenly, an obvious question arose in Naruto's mind.

"Erm…how did you two get here?"

Raven and Jinx told their tale.

Chapter 4 finished.

**A/N:** Now I know your probably psed at us for making this chapter so short. But I wanted to dedicate the next chapter to Raven and Jinxes story of how they got there…so if ya don't like the shortness…oh well. Cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it. Hehe

Thank you all for the latest reviews. ;-)


	5. Chapter 5 Tales of a Bird

Chapter 5 Tales of a Bird

**Chapter 5 Tales of a Bird**

**Three days ago…**

Raven lay on her bed, a large black sphere around her created by a spell she had caste a day ago. She hadn't ate…she hadn't slept…all she did was cry.

Her powers kept her healthy and the sorrow suppressed her hunger. When Naruto had left…she felt as though a part of her soul had been wrenched away.

She trusted he would return…but how long would it take?

Days?

Weeks?

Months?

…

Years?

The thought of being away from Naruto was so painful to her.

The black sphere around her stopped her powers from affecting her surroundings. The other Titan's had left her alone. And she was greatly thankful for it.

Why did he leave?

What sense of duty did he have to that place?

Raven had seen his mind. She knew how everyone had treated him. And she understood his pain.

She herself had always known such a life from the cruelty of others. She could not travel the streets of Jump City without scores of people staring at her, judging her.

They knew she was a hero, that she had saved them many times with the other Titan's. But they were still afraid. And she didn't blame them.

Yet even as Naruto felt all that pain due to the unfounded hate of others…he still had a sense of love for the Village he was born in.

But why?

Why was it so important to him?

The friends she had seen, Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha…Sakura was always berating him. And Sasuke always trying to beat him. They were hardly friends at all.

Yet he strived to protect them, to become stronger and stronger with each passing day. He placed his life on the line for them countless times and few had they returned the favour.

Yet Naruto Uzumaki still fought for them. Left the one he loved simply to make sure they were safe.

If only the world were half as kind as him. Maybe it wouldn't hurt so much.

Raven cried and cried into her pillow, her sorrow pouring out in loud wails. The pillow was dry, for tears had ceased to flow mere hours after she had first begun. Her sorrow was dry and forever painful.

- - - -

Robin stood leaning against the wall next to Raven's room.

The sound of her sobs was heart breaking to him.

He couldn't believe how much she was hurting.

Raven had never shown her emotions, or at least…had barely ever. Yet now she lay on her bed…crying her heart and soul into her pillow for over a day and a half.

Robin himself had been trying his hardest not to join her tears. His need to weep was not for Naruto, but for Raven and the pain she felt.

Robin knew he had to do something.

Resolutely, he stormed off down the corridor. He burst into the living room, gaining the solemn attention of the other Titan's in the room.

Beastboy sat on the couch holding Terra close to him.

Cyborg sat on the other couch playing on a game…but he wasn't winning. Which meant he wasn't really in the mood to play.

Everyone had been so depressed lately.

Starfire herself had cried for Naruto to come back…he wanted so much to comfort her. But in her depression she had left the Tower for a few days, explaining that when a Tammoran is upset, the need to be alone is mandatory. And that it was safer for them to be away from her while she cried.

The Titan's in the room looked at Robin expectantly. They knew he had something to say, and they knew it was about Raven and Naruto.

Even Cyborg watched, he had even forgotten to pause his game, and didn't react when the 'End Game' sounded out and stated he had the lowest score yet.

Robin opened his mouth but found he didn't know what to say. He felt something needed to be done…but what?

Robin took a deep breath.

"Titan's." He began formerly, deciding not to think on his words…but merely say what he felt. "Raven is in so much pain. We all feel it. She's always been so strong…yet now look at her. She doesn't eat. She doesn't sleep. She doesn't leave her room at all. And she never stops crying. We can't leave her like this…we need to get her back with Naruto."

Robin closed his eyes and lowered his head away from the other Titan's. He didn't want them to see the single tear streaming from his right eye.

"Your right man." Cyborg said strongly. "We can't leave her like this. We gotta bring Naruto back…"

"No." Robin interrupted. "Naruto's cause is important to him. We can't pull him away…not even for Raven's sake."

Beastboy nodded and pulled himself from off the couch letting go of Terra.

"Then lets send her to him." He said almost defiantly.

"That would be a good idea." Said a familiar voice from behind them.

They looked over and saw the raven-haired figure of Starfire approaching. As she walked she wiped her eyes. For those that looked closely they would have noticed that Starfire's tears seemed yellow and almost glowing in colour.

She looked apologetically at Robin.

"I am sorry, friend Robin. But when my species are in deep sorrow, our powers become dangerous and volatile. I did not wish for you to get hurt."

Robin placed his hand on her shoulder and nodded with a smile.

"We've got to allow her to go." Robin said finally.

The rest of the Titan's nodded in agreement.

- - - -

Jinx gazed at the T-Tower before her. It enormous form reflected the suns rays and almost made it blinding to the eye.

Breathing a deep sigh, the pink-haired girl approached.

The main door stood before her…

She approached it…

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

She waited for a moment…the doors opened.

- - - -

Robin gathered the Titan's and they started to make their way to Raven's room when a loud knock at the front door of the Tower interrupted their destination.

"I'll get it." Beastboy said before turning back.

"Beastboy wait." Robin said suddenly.

The green boy stopped.

"I have a bad feeling." He looked at the other Titan's. "Let's all go."

They nodded and all turned around, heading for the front door.

Beastboy went to open the door but Cyborg stopped him.

"Wait dude. Let me check the surveillance." He said approaching a computer panel near the door.

He pressed a single button and a camera view of outside the door appeared on the screen.

It was Jinx.

"JINX!" Beastboy exclaimed. "What's she doing here? If she's looking for trouble I'll…"

"Hold on Beastboy." Robin said placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. "If she was looking for trouble…she wouldn't have knocked."

"But what if it's just a distraction and their about to flank us from behind." Terra suggested.

Robin was lost for words.

"That's a good point." Cyborg said with a grin. "I'll check the security grids for the back entrances and set them to high alert." He said pressing a few buttons on the panel in his arm as he did his task remotely. After about a minute, he looked back at the others with a startled expression. "I just ran a perimeter scan…there's only her here. She's alone."

The Titan's looked back at the door with curiosity.

"Ok, but be prepared." Robin said with caution in his voice.

The masked Titan reached forward and pressed the button to open the door. It quickly slid open with a slight shushing sound.

Jinx stood before them. Her usual pink and purple dress looked dishevelled and a worried look sat upon her face.

"What do you want?" Robin asked forcefully.

Jinx looked almost terrified to be there, a kind of emotion she had never shown before. Well, not in this amount anyway.

"I want…" She began. "…I want to see Naruto."

The Titan's found themselves shocked.

"Erm…he's not here anymore." Robin answered. "Naruto's gone."

The impact of Robin's words was visible on Jinx. She suddenly went stiff and her eyes wide and watery.

"He's gone…where?" She said almost hysterically.

The Titan's found themselves shocked at her reactions and rather afraid of upsetting her for some reason. She seemed completely different. She had always harboured a form of contempt in almost every action she undertook, a constant grimace or sneer accentuating the emotion at all times.

Yet now she stood before them, dishevelled and teary, obviously heart-broken. It was plain that she had loved Naruto, and the Titan's, despite her being a long time enemy of the them all, felt their hearts swell with sympathy for her pain.

Suddenly, Jinx's teary face screwed up and a look of anger adorned her features.

"HOW COULD YOU LET HIM GO?" She screamed at them.

"He went because he had too."

The voice that had spoken cut through the air like a blade.

The Titan's turned and saw Raven standing behind them, her hood was down and her eyes were raw. She seemed that little bit paler and there was a deep sorrow in her features.

"Raven." Beastboy said softly, not to gain her attention, but merely for an accentuation…as though he were trying to clarify to himself that she was actually here.

"Had too?" Jinx said incredibly. "HE DIDN'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING!" She roared and swung her hands in the air, the doorway exploded with an array of purple bolts.

Jinx ran at Raven with a rage that obviously heightened her powers. The floor beneath her cracked and splintered as her feet hit struck it with each step, small purple sparks came from her heels.

Raven just held up a hand…and clenched it into a fist.

Jinx went rigid in a cloak of shadows and was held in place. Raven walked forward until her face was mere inches from Jinx's.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking you're the only one that loved him." Raven said in a cold voice. "The difference between us is that he loved me back."

Jinx visibly flinched and stiffened at her words.

Raven lowered her hold on Jinx's body and the girl dropped to the floor crying.

Robin looked between the two of them and walked over to Raven. "Raven…" He began. "I understand that your hurting. We all feel the pain as well…but none of us feel it like you. We've decided that we can't see you like this. Raven…we want you to go to Naruto."

Raven's eyes widened and a single tear managed to finally split from her right eye. Several lamps exploded nearby as Raven threw her arms round Robin mumbling a string of almost incoherent "Thank You"'s in between sobs.

The floor began to shake slightly and Robin placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her away from him.

"Ok, I understand your upset about him being gone, or happy that you can go to him, but Raven…you have to control yourself. You'll bring down the tower." He said with a weak smile.

Raven wiped her eyes and nodded. She closed her lids and concentrated for a moment and soon the shaking lessened to a stop.

She took a deep breath and when she opened her eyes she resembled more of the Raven they had known.

"Thank you all for this." She said in her usual monotone voice. "But are you sure, what if you need my help?"

"We can handle it." Robin said with a confident smile.

Raven slightly doubted his words but she admired his confidence anyway.

Jinx stood up and looked tearful again.

"What about me…I want to go too. Take me with you." She begged.

Robin looked at her defiantly and blocked her path to Raven.

"No. Your staying here." He said with a harsh voice.

Raven walked into the middle of the room and close her eyes. Several shadow port holes appeared in the ground and candles rose from them.

There were seven candles in a circle now.

Raven concentrated for a moment with her eyes closed.

"Azurath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!"

Her eyes opened wide glowed a bright white. A large black portal appeared before her.

She turned to the other Titan's.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

They all nodded at her with a smile.

"Okay." She said with a smile.

Jinx saw her opening, she sent bolt everywhere sending Robin sprawling to the ground. She dived at the portal, but Raven got in the way.

Raven was knocked backwards.

The both fell through the portal.

- - - -

Raven woke up with a sore head and was greeted by the sight of blue skies and the sound of twittering birds in the trees.

She took a moment or two to simply lie there before pulling herself up.

She had never passed out before when going through a portal. It was probably due to the combination of being forced through it by Jinx, and the distance the worlds were between each other.

Jinx!

Where was she?

Raven looked around and just managed to dodge backwards before purple bolts struck the ground she had been standing on and sent dirt everywhere.

Jinx continued her attack, bolt after bolt was sent at Raven and she was beginning to find it a little difficult to block, deflect or dodge them.

Raven suddenly sensed another individual but she didn't have time to check out who he/she was before she was made to duck to avoid a blast from Jinx.

The purple bolts whizzed past her head and struck a tree, slicing it in half.

The tree began to fall.

Raven looked and saw a man. He had a straw hat and looked deathly afraid as the tree fell above him.

Raven knew she had to act before the tree crushed him.

She gathered her power and wrapped it around the tree, tugging on it with all her will.

She managed to hold it in the air. The man on the floor and too terrified to move.

Jinx appeared at her side and looked at Raven with a smirk.

Her hand was brought up open palmed and was faced at Raven.

"Don't!" Raven shouted. "If you do…Naruto will never forgive you."

Her plea worked and Jinx lowered her hand. She looked at the log and threw a single bolt, slicing it down the middle. It dropped and fell to the ground with a loud thump. It's impact shaking the ground.

The man lay terrified on the ground. The two halves of the tree at either side of him.

Raven walked over to him.

"You sir, do you know where I can find a young ninja named Naruto Uzumaki?" She said in Japanese.

The man looked at her horrified.

"You seek the demon-child. I don't know if you are stupid or a demon yourself. But you will find him in Konoha, the village is that way. Well, that's where you usually would. I hear he's about to be declared a missing-nin. That's a crime to be away that long. He could be branded as a traitor. It'd be a good thing too, maybe that boy would get what he deserves when he come back." He said pointing through the trees.

"Demon-Child." Raven said darkly. Her features grew cold and her eyes began to glow white. "Naruto is kind and gentle, he is loving and caring and cares enough about this world to sacrifice himself to save it. And you call him a demon-child?" Her voice was calm in tone…but seemed to be laced with menace.

The man looked at her horrified.

"Get out of here." She said darkly. "Get out of here before I kill you."

The man ran.

Raven walked over to Jinx.

"Ok, I get it. You love him too. But you need to understand he's mine. He loves me. Not you." Raven sighed, relaxing herself. "I would send you back if I could. But crossing dimensions takes a lot of power, and cant be done too often. There can be consequences. So you can stay here for now. But if you lay a single hand on Naruto…I'll send you to a dimension far beyond any of your nightmares." The tone of Raven's voice did not hold any semblance of a threat…it held the semblance of a promise.

- - - -

Jinx found herself captivated by the sight of Konoha.

Her and Jinx were at the edge of the forest. Jinx looked in awe, Raven barely looked at all and didn't comment.

Jinx began to walk forward but Raven pulled her back sharply.

"What did you do that for?" Jinx asked, rubbing her arm.

"We don't know their customs. We don't know how they act. We don't know anything about them…we can't just waltz in there and find him. Besides…he might not even be in there. You heard what the man said. He's been missing, which probably means Naruto hasn't gone back to his village yet. We should search the woods or ask around a little to see if anyone might have seen him."

Raven and Jinx spent the next few hours searching the forests. They came upon a few travellers and merchants and traders that could tell them nothing about Naruto.

They had no look.

This latest merchant was laughing at them. Thinking they were crazy for seeking the Demon-Spawn.

That's all she'd heard.

Demon-child, demon-spawn, devil boy, abomination, nine-tailed fox and so on and so on. Not a single person they spoke too called Naruto by his name. Not one.

"So your searching for Naruto."

Jinx and Raven almost jumped out of their skin.

They spun around and up in a tree sat a boy.

He had black spiked up hair, a bored expression and a grey shirt. He had a tooth pick in his mouth.

He jumped down from the tree and landed perfectly silently on the ground.

He walked forward with his hands in his pockets.

"Names Shikamaru." He said in a bored tone. "Why are you looking for Naruto? You disturbed my nap by the way."

Raven found herself greatly surprised. This was no ordinary boy. For starters, he claimed to have been sleeping, yet Raven had not sensed his presence in the slightest.

"We just want to find him. Do you know where he is?" Raven asked.

Shikamaru sighed.

"Naruto's been gone for months. But I'll let a few people know your searching for him. Don't expect me to do anymore, being a messenger can be troublesome."

And with that the boy jumped with lightning speed into the trees above. It was almost too fast for Raven to track his movements.

"Lets stay here then. If he's going to tell people we're looking for him, and he hears, it would be best if we were here to wait for him."

Jinx agreed.

They sat down.

- - - -

Raven was meditating…well, trying too. Jinx wouldn't shut up. She kept interrupting with questions and saying she was hungry and even after the thousandth time of shouting at her that there wasn't any food, she still complained.

Suddenly a sound reached her ears.

"HIDE!" Raven commanded.

Jinx jumped up into the trees and Raven hid herself in the bark of a tree.

Naruto came into view.

Chapter 5 finished.

A/N: what were you expecting? A huge chapter laced with fight scenes and drama. Lol. This is a story, and a real story doesn't have melodramatic drama and combat in EVERY chapter.

Either way, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Stay tuned for the next. ;)


	6. Chapter 6 Konoha

A/N: what do you think this is? Do you think this is the completed chapter on my dead laptop I told you about? Your wrong if you do. My laptop is still dead. That right, simply because I'm so nice and love you fans so much...I HAVE REWRITTEN THIS CHAPTER AGAIN!

For a third time I might remind you. .

You better be grateful. I just couldn't stand by and let you all suffer from lack of updates. I'll start on the next chapter soon.

As I said, be grateful. I didn't have to do this, but I did, ain't I kind. I hope you enjoy it.

You better enjoy it. I didn't rewrite all this just for you to send me hate mail. Or suffer from lack of reviews. So I swear to you now. If I do not get about 50 reviews AT LEAST of this chapter by you all, I am going to grab myself a battle scythe, and go hunting for you all. SO READ AND REVIEW!

Thank you and have a nice day. :)

**Chapter 6 Konoha**

Naruto listened to Raven's tale earnestly. The detail in which she described was rather frightening, as though she had read it in a book. She described the face of the man that they had saved, and the look that had came to his eyes as Naruto's name had been spoken.

Naruto clenched his left hand into a fist, but kept it slightly behind his back so that Raven or Jinx would not see his anger. The man had even dared to call Raven a demon herself. What an insult!

The anger and rage bubbled in Naruto, but it was deep and didn't show on his face. Raven's words hesitated for a moment and she glanced her eyes into his for a brief moment as her story came to a close.

She had obviously sensed his anger.

Suddenly though, it dissipated completely when they mentioned the ninja that they had encountered.

Shikimaru.

Naruto smiled and shook his head.

Shikimaru was a great ninja. Naruto had always respected his skill deep down, but the ninja was lazy and looked at almost all strange circumstances as 'troublesome'.

"...and that's how we ended up here." Raven concluded.

Naruto smiled and was pleased they had come to no harm, but he wasn't pleased that Jinx was here.

It would complicate things, especially if the pink-haired girl decided to attack Raven again.

Naruto let himself collapse on the ground, sitting down on it with an uncomfortable thump. He kept his knees bent and rested his hands on them as he breathed a few long sighs.

"Are you okay?" Raven asked him, a look of concern spread across her beautiful features. Her hood was down and her hair swayed slightly in the forest breeze.

Naruto looked into her eyes. Their deep purple hue seemed nothing but a portal themselves. When she was concerned it was as though she was human. Naruto could see all the pain she had inside. If only he could take the pain, or at least share it so all the burden was not hers alone.

"No." Was his reply to her query. "Your here. That means its going to be harder. If they find out who you are Rachel...what you are..." It was a painful thought for him. To have the villages treat her like they had treated him. It had taken years of being a ninja, trying and training. Never giving up. He had saved the village many times yet they still regarded him with fear and hate. Though with the slightest reluctant acceptance now. There was the tiniest morsel of kindness in them now, for not all of them glared at him in the streets. But his recent disappearance and lack of presence when the village had been under attack, and not to mention his new clothes...it felt like it was like before. Before he had become a ninja.

The whispers. The hate. The glares.

It was all back.

And if they treated Raven like that, it would be unbearable for him to watch.

Raven sensed his pain and concern. She crouched down and took his head in her hands, her cloak shifting to a pure white and a smile spread across her face. She closed her eyes and pulled Naruto to her chest. Holding him close to her.

"You shouldn't worry so much about me. I know what they may do to me, I've seen it all before. I can handle it."

Naruto pulled away, Raven's cloak once again returning to its deep blue hue.

"No." He said defiantly. "I wont let it happen anyway. Because they wont see you."

Raven was vexed.

"Naruto, I don't have the power to turn invisible." She informed him.

"You wont need too. Neither of you will." He said glancing at Jinx that had seemed out of place from the conversation and as such was shuffling her feet nervously and obviously feeling jealous at Naruto and Raven's show of affection towards each other.

"Neither of you are going to the village. I'm going back to get some supplies and then we'll go and finish what I came here to do. Believe it." He said with a wink.

It occurred to Naruto then that throughout his time in the Titan's world, not once had he used his trademark quota. It seemed strange to him now and he couldn't think of a reason as to why he hadn't used it. It had merely escaped his mind. Even though it had more or less become instinct to say it.

Naruto looked at the forest around him.

This was his world. But it was no longer his home.

He felt like he had returned to a part of his life he was no longer attached too. There was a time when he would look at Konoha and the thought of leaving would bring tears to his eyes. He truly believed he would never leave. No matter how bad they treated him, he would fight to protect this village and he would become Hokage!

Not any more.

Now Naruto thought of Konoha and he felt nothing but the need to protect. He wanted it safe. Safe so he could leave it and go...home.

It seemed that the Titan world had become his home in his heart, but maybe it was because of his heart. They say that home is where the heart is, and his heart was with Raven. Maybe because it was her world, maybe because it was her home.

Konoha was no longer his home.

But he needed something from it. Something inside himself that had been apart of this place.

He smiled.

His small quota...'believe it'...it was small and simple. But it was his and it held a meaning that no one knew but him.

Every time he said those words, people thought he was trying to reassure them, or even himself. Trying to add emphasis to his words and reform his sentence into a promise. But that wasn't it at all.

It was a vow.

Each time he said those words, 'believe it', it had been his personal promise. Not only to complete the task he had been set, but to it better than anyone. To show them he wasn't just another ninja. That he could do it. To show them he wouldn't give up.

He would never give up.

That is what he would keep.

Naruto knew he had been changing in his personality. He knew he was becoming someone completely different than what he had been before. As though he were growing for boy to man. But he would keep his quota. He would keep that small part so that even if he became serious, confident and forever stronger...he would always have a piece of what he was.

Naruto decided that form here on he would use his phrase 'believe it' more and more. Until he once again didn't need to think about saying it.

"Naruto?"

Raven's voice pieced through his train of thought and brought him from an obvious daydream.

"Oh...uh. Sorry. Thinking." He said shaking his head slightly. "Okay. I'm going back to the village. Stay here and out of sight."

He made to turn away and leave, but a firm hand clenched into his. It was cold and soft, he knew it was Raven's hand.

He looked back, her cloak white again.

"I'm coming with you" She said defiantly.

"SHUT UP!"

Naruto and Raven almost jumped out of their skin at the sudden scream. They looked over and saw a Jinx staring at them, shaking all over and tears streaming from her eyes.

"ALL YOU EVER TALK ABOUT IS YOU, YOU, YOU! WHAT ABOUT ME! YOU COMPLETELY FORGET I'M EVEN HERE! TALKING TO EACH OTHER AND SPEAKING AS IF I NEVER EXISTED! I CAN'T STAND IT!" Her breath was coming in sharp gasps and Naruto realised that at this rate she'd start hyperventilating.

"Okay, I'm sorry. Jinx calm down." He said soothingly. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it softly, hoping it would comfort her.

"You have no right to complain." It was Raven that had spoken. Her eyes were dark and her voice as monotone as it had always been. "It's your own fault that your here, it was your idea to tackle me and push us both through the portal. And you sit there complaining we ignore you...your not even welcome here."

Naruto let go of Raven's hand and Jinx's shoulder. He turned away.

"Actually, neither of you are welcome." Naruto said darkly.

This caused Raven to feel slightly startled.

"I don't want either of you here." Naruto explained. He turned around slowly, his eyes were dark and cold.

"I love you Rachel, and I have missed you so much. But I don't want you here. And you Jinx, I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you, but you are even less welcome. I want you both to go home. Now."

Raven was stunned at Naruto's words, she forced herself to keep her emotions in check as her and Naruto were currently not in physical contact. It seemed it had become increasingly difficult to control her emotions lately, her body had gotten used to being in contact with Naruto and able to express her emotions as she wished, and in doing so it had become rather difficult at times to remind herself that she had to lock her emotions away when Naruto wasn't there.

Naruto turned away again and began walking off.

"We can't."

It was Raven's voice that reached his ears and he halted his pace. Naruto turned at looked at the two girls curiously.

"What?" He asked.

"We can't go back, not yet anyway." Raven stated harshly.

"Why?" Naruto's voice was firm and almost demanding, like he was forcing himself to be angry at them.

"Jumping between dimensions isn't something you do lightly, Naruto." Raven approached him. She had a fire in her eyes, challenging him. "I created a portal and brought you here, then I created another portal and brought myself and Jinx here. Each time I open a portal I cause a temporary rift in the fabric of space. That space needs to heal. If I open up another portal, it could cause what's known as a Scar. A wound in the dimensions."

Naruto was confused, he was trying to follow what she was saying and he thought he had gotten it so far, but it was confusing.

"Is that bad?" Naruto asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Not at all." Raven said light heartedly. "There's just the possibility that the Scar would open and the dimensions would start bleeding into each other causing a collapse in the fabric of space." She concluded.

Naruto hadn't understood a thing.

"Erm...and...that's a very bad...thing?" He said nervously, feeling rather a fool.

"Both our worlds would be destroyed." She explained quickly.

Naruto's eyes were like saucers. He didn't seem to be breathing.

"As I said, we can't go back yet. We need to let the rifts I created heal."

Naruto closed his eyes, lowered his head, and shook it dismay.

"How long do we have to wait?" He asked.

Raven thought for a moment.

"Generally it can take up to few days, but because I opened a second portal only a few days after the first, I would have caused a minor scar for repeating the rift on a healing space. For that to heal...about a month."

Naruto was defeated. Nothing he could do. The possibility of his and the Titan world being destroyed merely by sending Raven and Jinx home, he couldn't do it.

Raven looked at Naruto's defeated expression and smiled inwardly. She hadn't lied to him at all, what she had neglected to tell him though was the chances of the Scar opening were about 1 – 3,000,000,000,00.

"Fine, you can stay. I'm going back to the village for the supplies, wait here." Once again he turned to walk away and once again he was stopped. He let out a groan, wishing they would just listen to him. He loved Raven with all his heart and wanted to spend every moment with her, but it was becoming annoying how she always questioned what he was doing. Then again, hadn't he always liked Sakura, and hadn't she always questioned him? Well, no. She usually just hit him. Maybe questioning was a nice change.

He turned at looked and looked at Raven, her cloak white again.

"As I said before, I'm..."

Jinx cleared her throat from behind her.

Raven rolled her eyes. The expression was strange on Raven. As though it didn't suit her character. Naruto had never actually seen her roll her eyes. Maybe she was changing too?

"Fine, _we're_ coming with you."

Naruto looked at them both and saw their determination. He decided to just let them. Usually he wouldn't have given up so easily, but he knew he was already beat and he was tired of arguing.

"Fine." He submitted. "But you can't use your powers, and we need to find you some new clothes. And it also seems I'll have to teach you some ninja techniques." Naruto said with a sigh.

Raven seemed confused.

"Why?" She asked, a curious manner in her tone of voice.

"It's a three mile journey from here to Konoha. The forest is dense and has few clearings like this one. If we were to walk, it could take hours. So I'm going to teach you to run along the trees." Naruto explained whilst resting his hands behind his head.

Raven nodded.

"Okay, first. You need to know what chakra is. Chakra is-"

"-A formulating energy source produced by the body." Raven interrupted. "It flows through the body on its own chakra coils that are invisible, intertwining around muscles and ligaments into every part of the body. Even the eyes. Chakra can be gathered, stored and released in different ways through the use of certain motions which allow the gathered chakra to be directed. It can be used for a rang of purposes like healing and as I understand it, a whole lot more." Her voice had been monotone and simple, as though she were reading tiredly from a book. "I was raised on Azurath by the monks there. They taught me about chakra. My healing abilities are chakra based." She informed him.

Naruto was impressed, and rather frightened. He hadn't expected that a person from a completely different world would not only know about chakra...but embarrassingly, new more than him. Though he didn't let this information on and intended to keep it that way and acting as though he had known all that anyway.

"You already know medical Jutsu's?" Naruto asked curiously.

"Jutsu's? As in Techniques? Well it is a Technique I suppose but-" She began.

"Not what I meant." Naruto informed, quickly interrupting her. "Do you know hand seals?"

Raven was rather vexed.

"Hand seals?"

Naruto slapped his hand to his forehead.

"I'll take that as a 'no'." The ninja concluded. "Well, it doesn't really matter right now. Running along the trees doesn't use chakra. You just direct the chakra to your legs, jump up and run along the branches. Jinx, can you do that?" He asked turning to the pink haired girl that had thus far been very silent.

"Erm...I don't know. What's chakra again?" She asked curiously, placing a finger on her chin and looking up as though trying to remember.

The metaphor of a sweat drop appearing on Naruto's head would have been appropriet to his current feelings on the matter. This was going to be a long day.

Half an hour had passed and Naruto still hadn't managed to get Jinx to understand even the basic concepts of Chakra. She had no idea how to direct any energy other than that of her powers, and as athletic and acrobatic as she was, she did not have enough balance to run the entire way along branches to Konoha.

Naruto decided to carry her.

Raven was about as pleased with the idea of him carrying Jinx as she was about Jinx being here in the first place. Not one bit.

Naruto assured her it would only be until the reached their destination. During the half an hour, Raven had been practising and had found the process of running along the branches in the canopy of trees above them was a relatively easy feat. She picked it up and had honed it to a fine art in minutes.

Jinx, however, was thrilled at the thought of Naruto carrying her, and the moment the idea had been reluctantly accepted by Jinx and Naruto had announced they'd be leaving now, she dived into Naruto's arms and clung to his neck in a cute and flirtatious way. She rested her head on his shoulder and looked at him seductively with her bright purple eyes glinting in the sparks of sunlight that breached the leaves above.

Naruto felt very uncomfortable.

The headed off. Jumping into the canopy above them eagerly and dashing off in the direction of Konoha with Naruto leading the way.

Raven had to admit, running along the trees was far faster. Naruto had been right. Raven new that she had chakra and was able to use it, and so as she ran her thoughts began to wander.

_What else can I learn? What are hand seals? Can I learn to powers of a ninja and use them myself? Can Naruto teach me?_

Such thoughts swam through her head over and over again, never ceasing their endless array of queries.

Raven had to know what she would be able to learn.

She had read countless books and studied countless forms of magic throughout her life. She had sought her hardest to become more and more powerful whenever she could, not for herself, but so that she may one day be able to defeat her father.

She had read books on the darkest magic's of the darkest worlds. Ancient texts of dead spells to shake the world or raise the bodies of the grave, or block out the sun with raw darkness. And she could wield them all.

But throughout it all, there was Chakra. Chi. The life energy. It had many names.

The monks had taught her about it.

As the tree's branches whipped at her face and body with their copious leaves, memories returned to her in a fire. The words of the monks bore forever in her soul had somehow been buried and merely acknowledged in passing of Chakra's use. Their words came to her:

'_Child. You hold in your soul the power of worlds, but there is yet another power that dwells there. A power you share with all creation. It's name is Chi. It's name is Chakra. It's name is Life._' One of them had told her.

All the monks looked the same it seems, as though they were all born of the same womb at the same time. They shared the same features, same nose, same lips, and the same eyes that always portrayed a deep wisdom within them. Their white flowing cloaks had always encompassed their forms, forever hiding their figures from view. We're they thin, fat, plump or misshapen? She never knew, and in truth she never really wondered. It was merely a passing thought that came to her mind, a curiosity.

But still, they were all the same. And they bore the same voice. When one spoke, the others seemed to know the words by heart, as though each lesson was recited. They would finish each others sentences, and each time they spoke, Raven had always found herself rapt to their voices. They were light, yet resonating. As though when they spoke to teach her, they inscribed their preachings into her soul.

In the memory she was surrounded by all five of them. Their image perfectly identical to each other. Down to the last crease in the robe or crinkle under they eyes.

The one that had spoken stood before her, another on his right carried on his words in the exact same voice that burnt their words into her spirit.

'_Chakra is the breath and life of us all. It flows through us, through every animal and plant. It is the energy of the world that we live. It is nature._'

Another to the right of him leaned forward and continued their preach:

'_Chakra is the means to which we retain harmony in our hearts and minds. It is birthed from the very ground in which we tread, the very air that we breath. And it can be harnessed._'

Once again, as though in clockwise and rehearsed succession; the one on the right of the last spoken, used his own voice, once again, a mere mirror of the others:

'_To harness this power you must understand this power. Understand that without this Chakra, without this Chi, we cannot survive. It is the energy that allows us to move, to feel, to breath. And it is the substance of our souls._'

At last, the fifth and final monk among them spoke his piece, to the right of the last:

'_Chakra can be used for a great many purposes, but we shall teach you that which will allow you to gain insight into your own soul. We will teach you...to heal. The rest, will be a journey for you to tread one day, when you find yourself ready. When you find yourself worthy. And when you might be strong enough, to withstand a sacrifice of the heart._'

Now she thought about it, it was as though a prophesy had been told. Was this the journey they had spoken of? Was she ready? And what of the sacrifice...her sacrifice? Or another's?

Raven was abruptly torn from her contemplation as the trees opened up to a bright world.

Naruto ran slightly ahead of her carrying a smiling Jinx, her arms draped around his shoulders as though he were some hero of legend, rescuing her from a dragon. Raven hated it.

Swallowing her jealousy for the moment she watched Naruto come to a stop on a thick tree branch ahead, she stopped too when she met him.

The glare of the sun finally faded from her eyes and the sight before her almost caused her to stumble in shock.

Konohagura. The Village Hidden In The Leaves.

The village swayed out below them, and Raven felt herself awed at its beauty.

And strangely afraid.

Chapter finished.

A/N: Didn't I say I would put more effort into this chapter than the others. Well you can expect this quality from me all the time from now on. I hope you have enjoyed it, and please read and review. Or I'll mince you with my scythe. Hehe.


	7. Chapter 7 Caught

**Naruto: Rise of the Titans: Deathstroke in Konoha**

Chapter 7: Caught

Raven gazed out at the shining village with awe.

It was larger than she had expected it to be, and she found it difficult how she had not been able to see it up on the tree tops, which gave way to a realisation as to why they called it the village hidden in the leaves. She doubted few would be able to find it, unless it was by accident, or they knew where it was already.

The settlement stretched out before her like a jewel in the forest, the sunlight shining down upon the stone roofs, illuminating them as though they were mirrors, a thousand bustling voices reached her ears as the sounds of the Konoha market reached her.

Suddenly gasping, she realised she had been holding her breath at the sight. Konoha was beautiful.

"We have to remain silent" Naruto's voice said beside her. "We don't want them to know either of you are here, if they do they-" His speech was cut off and Raven heard strange sounds. She glanced over at Naruto who was still carrying Jinx in his arms; Jinx was struggling in Naruto's grasp, trying to kiss him.

The tree exploded.

*

Naruto felt it needful to inform Raven and Jinx of the necessity of silence, but as he was explaining their current situation and the dangers of being caught, jinx cut him off with unexpected struggling against him. She has begun trying to draw her face closer to his, no doubt to kiss him. Panicking he began to push her away, while still trying to keep hold of her so she wouldn't fall out of the tree, such a fall would surely cause great harm.

At the corner of his eye, he saw Raven see them, his blood might have gone cold at the look on her face, if it had had time too. But before any such reaction could occur, the tree was torn apart beneath his feet, a loud snapping sound boomed around him and the tree was splintered into pieces, effectively exploding. The fell down and hit the ground hard, Naruto knocking his head slightly, dropping Jinx in the process.

"Ouch." He said in a dazed voice. He opened one eye and glanced around…they were surrounded. Naruto cursed in his head, Konoha village people were notorious for such incidents, when discretion was needed, and something went wrong, they were there faster than was comprehendible, gossiping and staring. But if at any time they needed to have the attention on them, they were often ignored.

The villages stared at them, their faces full of wonder. Naruto looked for familiar faces but found only a few here and there, one seemed to be his favourite Ramen vendor, though why he wasn't at his stall Naruto couldn't guess.

*

Raven felt groggy, having hit the ground pretty hard, lately it had become increasingly difficult to control her emotions, she was almost considering asking Naruto not to touch her, so she could return to her normal state, she instantly regretted the thought as she realised that not being able to touch him would more than she could handle.

She opened her eyes and looked at the ground beneath her, her hands clenching dirt, a few golden leaves trodden into the soil. Even the earth here was somewhat beautiful. Most, when looking at Raven, saw a creature of darkness, that knew no beauty, but few realised that although she was of darkness, she admired the light of beauty. She loved the brush strokes on old paintings, they told not only the story of the painting, but that of the painter instead. Emotions, thoughts, interpretations, all within the lines of the brush, and such simple things as a golden leaf, like those before her, seamed beautiful in the life they once held, and the beauty they still hold in death. The monks of Azurath had taught her of art, of how when something is created, a part of the creator is always within his creation. It held meaning to her, as she herself was able to move her own soul to create forms, even seemingly alive forms with concentration. When she moves an object, she always feels a part of it. She smiled at this.

Reaching out with her mind, the leaf before her held a dark glow around its edges, it floated up and she sat back, gazing at it for a moment.

Suddenly the lack of noise caught her attention, it was too quiet. She looked up and saw a crowd of more than a hundred individuals, all gazing at her, their expressions fearful.

She let go of her hold on the leaf, and let it float back to the ground. Raven was speechless, she didn't know what to do or say.

Suddenly, before her a man fell from the sky, she had no idea how he had done this feat, as the only access would have been the tree that was currently in shards and splinters behind her. She could tell he was male by the posture of his body, but his figure itself was covered by a large cloak, and his face was hidden by a white mask, representing something of a feline shape, with odd red markings upon its surface.

Four others dropped down to surround her, Naruto and Jinx. Naruto approached her on his knees, leaning over to her ear.

"These are the Anbu, their strong and ruthless; don't give them a reason to hurt you." His voice was strained, as though he was worried for her sake, perhaps these Anbu really were strong enough to be a threat.

The Anbu before her inclined his head towards Naruto and Jinx, his mask shifted back to hers, seemingly observing her, analysing her for some unforeseen future acknowledgment.

"Who you does not matter, what you are here for does not matter, what does matter is that you are not from this village. You have demonstrated chakra ability. You are to remain here until Hokage Tsunade comes to inspect and interrogate you." At once he vanished, moving too fast for Raven to see. She heard a gasp behind her that no doubt came from Jinx.

Naruto looked at her with sympathy, grasping her hand tightly. Her cloak shifted to a soft white colour, earning gasping remarks from the crowd.

……………………………………

They did not have to wait long before the Anbu returned with Hokage Tsunade.

Naruto watched her approach, expecting her to look at him and smile, or to show some form of acknowledgment. She did not. She gazed at Raven intently, her eyes hiding none of her resolve.

"Who are you? Which village do you come from? Amegakure? Hoshigakure? Takumi? Speak!" She demanded her voice authoritive. Naruto was shocked at the demanding and seemingly angry voice.

He clenched Raven's hand tightly, knowing that she was speechless.

*

For the first time in a long time, Raven felt an emotion which she had almost forgotten. She was afraid. This women before her was formidable, while her figure was lithe, she could sense a form of strength within her. Suddenly remembering her own strength she felt foolish with herself, this women was strong, but she was no match for her. She cursed her emotions and how their presence overwhelmed her when she was in contact with Naruto, but she was grateful for the contact. She couldn't trust that it was only due to being in control that she had felt the fear, fear could still grip her without being in contact with Naruto, and she did not want to cause any more damage to the surrounding area.

Straightening herself and putting on a face that she hoped was one of determination and a little defiance.

"My name is Rachel Roth." She said boldly. Naruto looked at her with shock, very rarely did she ever refer to herself as her real name, but she thought it would not bode well if she exclaimed the name of a scavenger bird as her name.

The women before her scowled in detestment and scepticism. "Unlikely, I know of no land in which such names exist. And I know of many lands."

*

Naruto saw this wasn't going well, he realised they should have taken precautions against this, they should have revised fake identities and gathered new clothing, instead they had come here blind and unprepared. He thought himself a fool for such stupid mistakes.

Wanting to correct his errors, he stood up, pulling Raven to her feet. "She is with me Tsunade. I brought her here from a distant land, I wanted to show her the sights and-"

"Don't lie to me Naruto Uzumaki!" She snapped, interrupting him.

"But-"

Tsunade turned to him, stepping forward, he let go of Raven's hand, hearing her catch her breath as her powers once again needed controlling and her clothing turned back to their dark blue. Naruto backed away as Tsunade approached heavily.

"You come into _my_ village after you are absent for almost long enough to be known as a missing-nin, leaving Konoha at risk of possible weakness in your absence, you bring these girls from an unknown land into Konoha, threatening our ways, sneaking around, arguing, causing fights, destruction of property and the land, and all without my approval!" Her voice was strong and authoritive, making him shake a little at the respect she inspired. She had certainly been a good choice for Hokage, she was intimidating. But she was not the Tsunade he had grown to know, there was no softness to her, no recognition in her eyes of the friendship they had once had. It was as though her role of Hokage had stolen everything that could be seen as a possible weakness, leaving only a respectable, and authoritive power with a voice of reason. He didn't know this woman.

"What's happened Tsunade, we used to be friends." Naruto pleaded, confused and somewhat afraid.

Tsunade seemed to soften, and a semblance of the women he had known before was visible in her eyes, she turned away.

"Friends don't break my laws, friends don't lie, friends don't endanger the village-" She paused, turning her back on him, inclining her slightly to the side she spoke again. "Friends stick around."

It was suddenly very obvious to Naruto; she was upset that he had left. He had no delusions about her feelings for him, they were nothing more than friends, but it seemed, that although they had never been amazingly close in his eyes, she had thought differently of him, she may even have thought of him as one of her closest friends. He realised how much he must have hurt her.

"Tsunade…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave-" He began.

"But you did Naruto, you did." She said softly, turning to face him. "In your absence we were attacked many times. You have saved this village often in the past, many of us grew to respect and rely on you for that, perhaps we shouldn't have, perhaps we should have tried ourselves, but the enemies were growing stronger, things were getting harder, and few of us were strong enough to help, you were one of them. You don't even realise how much you were valued by us, Naruto. And you left us. Perhaps next time you leave and return, there wont be a Konoha waiting for you, I hope that plays on your conscious somewhat, it certainly plays on mine." She turned her back began walking away, leaving Naruto speechless.

They respected him? Valued him? He had never realised. It seemed that while he was here, he may have been caught up too much in childish antics to realise their feelings for him, and how people had changed in their treatment of him.

Tsunade's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Naruto, you are banished for six months for endangering Konoha through the unlawful introduction of outsiders." Naruto stood, shocked and breathless. "In that time you are not to return under any circumstances unless ordered to by me. You are to take these girls with you, they will never be welcome in this village, should they return without my approval, they will be treated as invaders and taken care of appropriately." Tsunade's voice was dark and foreboding. Naruto found himself gulping from a dry throat.

"Go." Her words were final. He knew better than to argue.

Naruto walked forward and took Raven by the hand; he motioned for Jinx to follow, together the three of them re-entered the forest.

**Author's notes: hey people. I am sooo sorry for how long it has been since an update. I could tell you all the technical problems, there were a lot. But honestly, once they were all out of the way, it had been so long since writing a chapter that it was tiresome and I couldn't be bothered. Thankfully, some Naruto episodes and teen titans episodes has rejuvenated my vigour…mostly. ^-^ I hope to update this more and I'm sure you'll enjoy the next chapter. Love you all!**

**Aerkoni + DarkUzumaki**


	8. Chapter 8 AMBUSH!

**A/N: sorry, it was not a joke. and I was unaware it wasn't working. I hope it works now. thank you all for your patience.**

**Naruto: Rise of the Titans: Deathstroke in Konoha**

Chapter 8: AMBUSH!

Naruto clenched Raven's hand tightly, he felt numb to the ground he was walking on, barely feeling the treading of his own feet. Tsunade's words rang in his mind over and over again.

Banished. He was banished.

This knowledge was painful to him. He had never intended to return, but the knowledge he wasn't even allowed to plague heavily in his heart.

Raven gripped his arm, burying her head into his shoulder as they walked, pressing her body against his side.

He sighs, holding her close. He was with the girl he loved, and that was what mattered most.

He breathed in the scent of her hair; it always smelled so strange to him, like cinnamon.

He smiled softly, kissing the top of her head; he pressed a hand to her face, stroking it lightly as they walked. He lifted her chin up and pressed his lips to hers gently, they murred into each others mouths, smiling lightly at the feel of being so close.

CRACK!

Naruto hit his head on a low branch.

"Owe!" He stepped back clutching his head. Raven looked at him and pressed her hands to her mouth. He gazed at her curiously, his head throbbing. Raven broke out into a fit of laughter, her giggles ringing out like music to his ears. He smiled despite the pain, reaching down and taking a hand full of dead leaves, he threw it at her, "shut it." He said playfully.

Raven grinned at him, twitching her finger lightly; suddenly a massive wave of dead leaves flew from the ground into his face. He brushed them away, looking playfully annoyed. He dived on her, pushing her to the ground.

Together they wrestled, shoving leaves in each others faces and rolling in the dirt, laughing loudly.

"HEY!"

They stopped, turning and looking over. There stood Jinx, seemingly angry, her gaze like daggers directed at the both of them.

"In case you hadn't noticed, we have no food, no new clothes, no nothing but a dumb forest in a dumb place!"

Naruto sighed, standing up.

"Ok." He began. "I want to go home." He heard Raven take in a slight intake of breath a little faster than usual. "I want us to get back to Titan Tower as soon as possible." He heard a slight sigh of relief making him smile. "We better get started on what I came here to do."

"What's that?" Jinx asked, her voice tinted with curiosity.

"I can't, in good conscience, leave this world and join yours without making sure Konoha is safe." He explained. "I have to eliminate the main threats. That means I need to find Pain. Now Pain has many bodies, however, he should have a source. If I destroy that source body, the others should die. I hope. Then there's Madara Uchiha."

"Who are they?" Raven asked him, hugging his arm softly.

"Pain is the leader of the Akatsuki, and Madara helps him. Out of everyone, their the biggest threat. My friends can handle anyone else, but these two need to go." He looked thoughtful, his gaze drifting into the distance as his mind ran with knowledge and information he had collected over the years.

He had to find a way to track them down, a way to sense and track their chakra energy. Sadly there was only one way to do that. He needed Hinata and the Byakugan.

"We have to go back." He said resolutely.

"What?" Jinx said; her face a mixture of shock and confusion.

"We have to. We need to find-" He stopped. Naruto's body became tensed.

Something was here.

"MOVE!" He jumped to the side as an array of kunai's struck the ground where he had been standing, missing him by mere inches.

He rolled on the ground, withdrawing the Tish'marr from its sheath on his back.

Using the flame shaped sword he intercepted the kunai's deflecting them into the trees.

Raven protected herself with a shadow force field; the black velvet like power surrounded her body in a dome shape.

Their attackers jumped down from the trees, Naruto stared in disbelief.

Stylised cat like masks stared back at him, but they were different, something about them wasn't right. They dressed like ANBU, but Naruto had a feeling they worked for someone else.

They charged.

Raven dived and rolled to the side when one of the attackers brought out a blade and slashed at her, using her powers she wrenched it from him and flung it into a tree, she blasted him back into a wall.

Naruto dodged under a well placed kick, sweeping at his attackers leg, knocking him to the ground. Spinning, Naruto delivered an arc heel strike to his opponent's stomach, feeling his attackers body convulse in pain.

He flipped up, using the Tish'marr to block a second attacker's blade, he stroke out with his own. His opponent attempted to block Naruto's sword but the opponents own blade was inevitable sliced in half by the Tish'marr's unnaturally sharp edge. Naruto felt his blade hit flesh, blood sprayed from his opponent as a deep gash was sliced into his chest, the man fell back shouting in pain, he collapsed on the floor, his body shaking uncontrollable.

Naruto turned to face any other attacker that would challenge him but his gaze was met with nothing, there were none of them in sight.

Naruto sheathed his Tish'marr, perspiration laden on his forehead. He turned round and saw Raven turning to meet his gaze.

"You ok, Rachel?" He asked walking up to her and holding her close.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled at him.

Naruto smiled back. It was rather amazing at how much she had changed, but when he thought about it clearly, maybe she hadn't changed at all. Maybe this was the real Raven. That everything else was a mask to control, her emotions. He had allowed her to feel, so the mask had dropped. He was thankful that he was able to give her this chance to feel as he believed she should.

Leaning in he kissed her softly, breaking it gently and smiling again.

The he noticed it.

The quietness.

Something was missing.

And that something was Jinx.

*

Her entire body was rigid due to the tight ropes, she couldn't see due to the blind fold. And the sounds she heard where no help in gauging her whereabouts.

Jinx struggled against the binds that held her, twisting this way and that.

She was roughly pushed into an uncomfortable chair, the binds where seeming wrapped around the back of it. Then the blindfold was removed.

She squinted, expecting light to flood her sight, but instead she still saw darkness.

Her eyes adjusted to the gloom of the room she was in, she saw a figure beside her, a shape. He moved in front of her and walked away. A door opened and light flooded into the room.

Jinx took a brief glance around the area, the floor's were a traditional mahogany wood and the walls seemed to be naught but oak. The room itself was seemingly bare except for some support beams along the side of the walls.

The door closed and she was once again plunged into darkness.

She would have yelled out for help, but a gag had been placed over her mouth.

The sound of voices reached her ears, incoherent and muffled, but voices nonetheless. She strained her ears to listen, trying to pick up anything she could use.

The voices stopped and the sound of footsteps started.

The door opened again and she squinted in the light, a man stood in the doorway. She was unable to make out any distinctive details as he was silhouetted.

He walked into the room and stopped, he turned around seemingly in anger.

"You got the wrong one." His voice showed no emotion but harboured a strength his posture didn't show. "Untie her and get rid of her! Dint let her be a witness."

Jinx understood he meant to kill her. She struggled relentlessly. The man that had tied her to the chair came up and untied her, in the split second she had mobility she flicked her fingers. A purple bolt shredded through the rope, she flipped and drove a kick into the side of the man's head, spinning round and sending a flurry of bolts in the direction of the other man. But he wasn't there.

A sharp blow struck her shoulder and a pain struck her arm, looking she saw a syringed needle stuck into her skin, she felt woozy and collapsed onto the floor. The world around her span, she rolled over and looked up. The light shone on the man's face, bandages covered one half of it and over his head, a brown gown like attire donned his body. Bandages seemed to be covered everywhere, only one arm was shown.

"Thank you for showing me what you can do. Now I can use you." He said this in a way that you would expect someone to smile, but he wore no smile, in fact, he seemingly had no emotions. "You're going to make an excellent subject for breeding that unique and possible new bloodline of yours."

Jinx could feel herself slipping into unconsciousness.

"Who are you?" She asked as best she could, her voice quiet and barely audible. But the man seemingly heard.

"Me? I see no harm in telling you. I am Danzo. And you? You are mine."

Darkness took her.

**A/N: YO PEOPLE! Sorry for the wait, gave my friend the memory stick to borrow for one day, he forgot to return it and then decided to go on holiday. He got back yesterday so I've rushed to finish this. I hope you have all enjoyed this chapter; I'll start the other one soon! Read and Review please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	9. Chapter 9 Into the Belly of the Beast

**Naruto: ROTT: Deathstroke in Konoha**

Chapter 9 Into the Belly of the Beast

Pain gripped him, the slash on his chest bled profusely and he could feel himself slipping away.

The ground beneath him was hard and coarse, stones dug into his back and the sounds of birds and swaying tree's seemingly thundered in his ears.

Suddenly, a new thrash of pain drove through him, causing him to groan loudly. He looked up into the angry blue eyes of a blonde haired youth.

*

Naruto couldn't believe that Jinx had been taken. He looked around; his eyes fell upon one of the remaining attackers. The others in the area were dead, but this one was breathing. He reached down and gripped his clothes, wrenching him up. The man gasped and groaned in agony, blood dripped onto Naruto's armour, he paid it no heed, glaring angrily at the man.

Naruto reach forward and gripped the mask, wrenching it off he stared into the other boy's eyes. It was the attacker from before, the long hair ANBU youth that had attacked him in the forest.

"WHERE HAVE THEY TAKEN HER?" He shouted angrily.

The man tried to answer, but blood clogged his throat and all he did was sputter.

"WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?" Naruto demanded.

The man once again tried to answer, but his body convulsed in pain and suddenly went limp in Naruto's arms. He was dead.

Naruto shouted and threw the man back onto the floor, standing up he began pacing angrily, wracking his brain for some kind of answer to who might have taken Jinx.

He had to think. Who would do this? Why would they do this? Who had the motive?

No….these were the wrong questions he realised. He shouldn't ask who or why…he should ask how.

Who had the resources for their own ANBU regiment…who was the only person with his own ANBU regiment that answered only to him?

The answer was obvious.

"Danzo." Naruto's voice was laden with anger, he withdrew the Tish'marr and in a single swipe of anger he swung his blade through a tree bark. He breathed heavily, the sound of creaking reaching his ears.

The tree cracked and crumpled, falling and hitting the ground with a loud bang.

*

Raven watched Naruto as he took out his anger, she felt sorry for him. Though she had never liked Jinx and had recently become to hate her for her obvious infatuation with her boyfriend, she didn't want the girl to be harmed. She wanted to help Naruto find her, but she didn't know how.

"Naruto." Her lover turned and looked at her, his angry eyes softened as they gazed at her face. "Let me help you. I may be able to track her." She smiled softly.

Closing her eyes Raven drew her legs up, her body floating cross-legged in the air. She opened her eyes rapidly.

"Azurath metrion zinthos!"

*

Naruto watched as Raven floated in the air, her eyes opened sharply and she called her chant. Naruto found himself staring into pools of blackness. A shiver of fear travelled down his spine as he gazed into Raven's pupils.

They were not the colour of black, but seemingly the embodiment of darkness. The blond-haired youth found himself rather afraid of Raven's power.

*

Raven's mind stretched out, scanning wide and long, energy surrounded her sight, coils and coils of it in every person, more than she would usually expect. She sensed Naruto's and was taken aback by what she saw.

His body emanated a raw power unlike anything she had felt, a well was within him, a hole much like a black hole, and infinite space like a diamond. Within it she saw energy, an infinite amount of power and energy.

This must be Kyuubi.

She pulled her gaze away from her lover, sending her mind fourth, the energy of animals cropped up. She found another well of power, massive compared to the others around it, but nothing like Naruto's, once again it was sealed within a person. She guessed that whoever it is, they also contained a tailed demon.

Wells of power where all around her vision, she was finding it difficult to keep up her search. She found those with coils of power centred on their eyes, she found several of one certain kind and several of another.

Including a feeling, that some of these were not meant to be there, like they had not been born with this energy, merely acquired it.

She kept searching, focusing as best she could, she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, sudden clarity overcame her, her mind was calm and peaceful, she willed herself to find Jinx and instantly…there she was.

Raven forced herself to meld with Jinx's power, trying to see through her eyes. She saw a room, and a man, something happened, Jinx began to attack, but the man, Jinx hadn't noticed, but Raven sensed the man's power, it was strong, it was very strong. This man was not what he seemed.

The man hit jinx, and through Jinx's eyes, Raven saw the syringe in Jinx's arm. Jinx collapsed, Raven felt the pink haired girls mind becoming like cotton, fluffed up and incoherent. Raven forced more of herself into Jinx; using Jinx she forced the pink haired girl to ask, "Who are you?" The answer was incoherent, but she caught the sound of a name. Dan- something.

Raven snapped back to the present, her body collapsed into Naruto's arms, her mind calm and her cloak white.

"She's somewhere inside Konoha, from what I can tell, they might be underground, in some kind of catacombs. She's being held hostage for something, by a guy…I didn't get his name, but it began with-"

"It's Danzo." Naruto interjected.

Raven was taken a back.

"He's the only one with his own force of ANBU; he's the only one that could have done this." He explained, looking at her sternly. "Can you take me to them?"

Raven smiled. She stepped forward and held out her hand.

"Azurath metrion zinthos."

Her power erupted in front of her, black tentacles reached from her back and tore open a circle of darkness before her. A portal.

Naruto smiled.

"Lets go and get Jinx back." Raven said with a smile.

Naruto and Raven walked into the portal.

*

Darkness surrounded and compressed Naruto, his head swam and his body contorted and churned yet surprisingly, it was not painful.

Naruto and Raven stepped out of the other side. A room full of ANBU awaited them.

Naruto stopped, all eyes turned to him and Raven.

Slowly and surely Naruto reached behind his back, gripping hold of the Tish'Marr's handle.

He withdrew it, a light ringing sound slicing through the air as the blades sharpness cleaved through the tension in the room, both sides waiting for the other to make a move.

Naruto placed the very tip of one of the blade prongs of the flame shaped sword on the ground, lightly carving a semi circle around him, demonstrating the sharpness of the blade.

Naruto, Raven and the ANBU all charged at once.

Chapter finished.

**A/N: sorry for not much happening in this chapter, I'm having a typing day, so the next chapter will probably be up today as well, no promises though. Hope you all enjoy it. ;)**

**DarkUzumaki - Aerkoni**


	10. Chapter 10 Truth Revealed

**Naruto: ROTT: Deathstroke in Konoha**

Chapter 10 Truth Reavealed

Everyone charged at once.

Naruto jumped up and slashed down at the first ANBU to reach him, the opponent attempted to defend, but the Tish'marr sliced through his blade, the attacker dodged back slightly and flipped, bringing his heal down aiming for Naruto's head. Naruto raised his arms, defending the kick, Naruto grabbed the guys legs, thrusting him down, the blonde haired youth drove his knee up into the mans back.

Spinning on the spot and ducking below two blade, he jumped and barrel-rolled, kicked out, his feet connecting with the two other attackers faces, their masks shattering.

*

Raven created a wall of dark energy and sent it into a group of charging ANBU, sending them slamming into a nearby wall, she narrowly ducked a kunai, letting her powers invade her mind, her eyes turning into a deep blackness, her vision increased and her reactions magnified.

She sent a flurry of dark bolts at her attackers, sending them sprawling to the ground.

*

Naruto blocked an array of punches aimed at him from one of the attackers, he sensed one of them behind him, and bending back he slashed out with the Tish'marr, cleaving the guy across the stomach.

Using the momentum from righting himself, Naruto drove the handle of the Tish'marr into the other attacker's face, the man's nose shattering against the impact. Naruto jumped and span, sending a well placed kick into the guy's neck, breaking it. Naruto Quickly crossed his fingers, instantly 6 other Naruto's poofed into existence, they charged and distracted the enemies, while Naruto gathered his chakra, sheathing his blade he focused his power into his palm, using his other to spin it. Quickly he created a powerful orb of chakra.

Naruto dived forward, diving at a group of enemies.

"RASENGAN!" He screamed, driving the ball of energy through the opponents body, it tore straight through him, blood sprouting onto the walls and floor, crimson fluid splattering the blonde haired youths visage.

*

Raven barely dodged another kunai, using her powers she caught it as it passed her, sending it rocketing back, slicing through the throwers head and out the other side and into another opponents head.

A sharp pain wrenched through her arm and Raven was thrown to the floor, she yelped from the wound, looking at her arm there was a kunai sticking out of it.

*

Naruto span and slashed out, withdrawing the Tish'marr and slashing at the same time, cleaving his opponent in half.

Through the stream of blood he saw Raven get hit with a kunai. He stopped. The cry of pain from raven tore through him.

It happened.

*

Raven looked at Naruto after she examined her wound, she saw him staring, an attacker was coming up behind him and she went to call out to warn him. But suddenly, Naruto's power erupted before her. Raven's senses went wild from the energy, instantly the visage of 5 tails surrounded Naruto's body, a red aura escaped him.

The attacker behind him was torn apart by an unseen force, waves of energy erupted from the blonde haired youth, his features contorted with rage, his eyes slit and red in colour. The ground cracked beneath his feet.

"DON'T YOU HURT HER!" She heard him scream, the transparent tails around him flung out at incredibly speed, driving into the walls, they swiftly spread around the room, tearing through every single ANBU there, punching holes and tearing off limbs, decapitating and shredding to pieces.

As quickly as it had appeared, it vanished. Naruto collapsed onto the ground, his breath coming in gasps.

Raven hurried to his side, being careful not to put too much strain on her injured arm she helped Naruto up.

"Are you ok?" She queried.

Naruto breathed in deeply, exhaling slowly, trying to gather some semblance of calm around him.

"I'm sorry. I…I just-" He stumbled over his words.

"It's ok. Their all dead, lets find jinx."

They began walking towards the double doors at the end of the room; suddenly Naruto and Raven were knocked back into a wall, cracks impacting upon the concrete surface from the force of the blow.

Naruto groaned as he and Raven struck the floor. He looked up weakly and froze.

There before him stood Danzo. His cloak on the floor. It had always been believed he kept his other arm hidden because it was too damaged, but there is was, shrivelled but apparently strong. His bandages were also not there, and in his right eye was something that made Naruto's blood turn cold with fear. It was a Mangekyo Sharingan.

Realization dawned on Naruto instantly. All this time…Danzo was Madara.

Chapter finished.

**A/N: Now I know some of you are probably going crazy at me, saying that's not possible or things like that. But I'll have you know it's very possible, in fact it's a popular theory.**

**Here are the facts. Danzo's fighting style is from the forbidden village of the bloody mist, this is mentioned in the manga. This fighting style is select and very very very few people know it. Madara is also seen to know it and it is remarked upon in the manga.**

**Both Madara and Danzo have the exact same views and hate for the fourth Hokage ideals.**

**The eye Danzo covers up is the eye that Madara's Sharingan is on. The arm Danzo covers up is the arm Madara has the bolts on.**

**Madara tried for the position of 1****st**** Hokage, he failed. Then Danzo tried for 3****rd**** Hokage, stands to reason that if he failed the first time he'd try again later on.**

**And when Itachi died very very very few people knew about it, Danzo was one of them. Not a single soul that knew about it spoke to anyone. Yet Madara somehow found out.**

**The only difference between them is that they have different hair. But that could all be part of the disguise.**

**It's a popular theory I myself was introduced to, I didn't come up with it, but it has its merits. In fact it's highly likely, I believe. Make up your own mind, I'm merely using it. :) hehe. I hope your not gonna lynch me.**

**Oh, and didn't I tell you this would be up on the same day. ;)**


	11. Chapter 11 Black is the Colour

**Naruto: ROTT: Deathstroke in Konoha**

Chapter 11 Black is the Colour

Naruto gazed in shock. He was about to analyze Madara's features but he didn't have time; suddenly the man was right in front of him. Leaning down and gazing at him.

Madara reached down and grabbed Naruto, lifting the boy up effortlessly, he swung Naruto behind him, only to turn and axe kick down, sending Naruto slamming into the ground.

Anger spread through Naruto, He attacked out, his eyes in slits, his hands clawed, Kyuubi energy flowing through him, he had not yet snapped into a tail form, but his power had increased. He spun on the floor and kicked out at Madara, his leg was easily caught.

With obvious ease Naruto was flung across the room into a wall.

Naruto groaned struggling to his feet he quickly crossed his fingers; the room was suddenly filled with clones and all attacked at once. Madara was a blur in the fight, soon smoke filled the room as clone after clone was destroyed, Naruto powered up a powerful Rasengan, he dived into the smoke as it cleared, aimed directly for Madara's back.

Madara turned casually and caught the Sharingan, his palm was flat against the tearing energy yet it did nothing to him.

"You need to learn your place." Naruto's opponent said sinisterly.

Naruto's Rasengan was crushed into his own hand; Madara's finger wrapped around Naruto's crushing the boys hand with a vice like grip. Naruto fell to his knees in pain.

Three tails suddenly erupted around him, Naruto punched upwards, the fist aimed for Madara's chin, suddenly the man wasn't there anymore, his hand and arm were wrenched behind him and a thunderous kick was driven into Naruto's side.

*

Raven opened her eyes and her breath caught in her throat.

She saw Naruto getting his arm twisted behind his back and her heart seemingly skipped several beats as a powerful kick was slammed into her boyfriend's side.

Raven went wild.

Power surrounded her; she rose up, her cloak turning into tentacles, her eyes splitting into four red and angry diamonds.

She reached out and gripped Madara, throwing him into a wall, the man groaned as he struck the surface, getting up easily right after. She reached for him and pulled him towards her, surrounding him in her dark cloak she showed him his worst nightmare, or at least she triad to.

There was nothing. Raven's mind went blank.

There was so much power in this man, if a man is what you could call him. There was no fear, no nothing. Merely a deep hatred and a power so overwhelming she feared it.

A sudden force sent her rocketing backwards, she hit the floor and skidded, looking up. Madara stood there, a smile spread across his face.

"You are not from here." Suddenly he was right in front of her. "Rachel Roth." His hand snapped forward, gripping her neck tightly.

"She choked and struggled feebly against him. "How-" She tried to ask.

He leaned in, almost nose to nose with her, his eyes narrowing, the single red eye seemingly staring through her.

"I see all." He said matter-of-factly.

He spun her and him round and threw her, she collided with Naruto who had been about to attack Madara from behind.

*

Naruto saw as Madara gripped Raven, he forced himself to stay calm, grabbing the Tish'marr he ran silently at Madara, jumping into the air he readied his blade to cleave through Madara Uchiha. Suddenly he spun around and Raven was thrown into him, knocking them both back.

Madara approached them both; a smug look adorned his features.

"You will die now. And so will your friend. I had wanted to breed her, pass on her apparently new bloodline trait; I didn't think to check her with my Sharingan. I suppose she is like this other girl. They are not from this world. And so I have no use of them."

He stretched out his hand, and did an apparently single handed group of hand-signs, he did the same with his other hand, placing them together he separated them, a raw energy ball formed there, growing larger and larger. Madara rested the energy into the palm of his right hand, the bright energy lighting his face in a sinister way.

"Goodbye." He remarked casually.

He thrust down with his hand, the ball staying in his palm.

The ball was caught.

Madara's eyes grew wide, a woman stood before him, her hair a dark purple and a single gem on her forehead. Her outfit was skimpy and tight to her body, purple and silver adorned her body, fashionable, and seductive at the same time. Her features betrayed a cunning evil.

Madara looked into her eyes. They were a deep purple like her hair, but surrounded by a red ring, almost like a pulsing fire in her pupil.

Naruto gazed up in shock.

It was Blackfire.

Chapter finished.

**A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. More to come soon! I am such a typaholic today. :D and don't get me on my spelling of colour, I'm British remember. :P**


	12. Chapter 12 Blood and Darkness

**Naruto: ROTT: Deathstroke in Konoha**

Chapter 12 Blood and Darkness

Blackfire entered the portal, a fire surrounded her, and she screamed in pain, it felt as though her whole body was being torn apart. A flash of light occurred and she fell unconscious.

The sound of birds reached her ears, the soft swaying of trees.

Softly and slowly she opened her eyes, she almost screamed again. She had expected to merely see trees, instead she saw everything. Energy flowed from everywhere, her limbs felt as though they weren't there, yet she was not numb. She merely felt as though her body had no weight.

Everything was tinted red. The sound of a stream nearby reached her ears, suddenly she could see the stream, or at least, where it should be. Following her strange new sight she found the sparkling water.

Looking into her own reflection she gasped, her eyes were on fire, or so to speak. The pupils were rimmed with a fiery and flowing red, less of an aura, more of a liquid within her flowing and pulsing.

She gasped.

Sitting down she closed her eyes.

"Calm yourself Komand'r." She told herself, focusing her mind like she had been taught on Ilupis Five, a planet that she had spent a good long time, studying meditation.

She looked within and was taken a back. Power flowed within her, she had become so much stronger, and she was certainly more powerful than her sister Koriand'r. She opened her eyes, grinning at this.

A few weeks past, she stayed at the waterhole, searching with her new powers for any sign of Naruto, the one she was supposed to follow.

Then she sensed it. He was here. He had been here for a while it seemed. Blackfire didn't know how she knew that, she just did. He was above her.

A grin spread across her face. She waited a few moments, and smiled as a headband of some sorts floated down and landed in the water.

She waited, she sensed him turning away, after a few moments she knew he was out of sight or hearing range. She reached out her hand and suddenly the entire water burst water vapor, instantly vaporizing in a cloud of smoke. She walked forwards, stepping onto the once wet, but now dry earth where the water had been. She picked up the headband, grinning.

She followed Naruto.

She saw a slight cut on the blonde haired youths arm, probably from an attack. So he had been found. A few days ago Blackfire ventured into the village of Konoha in a disguise, and warned them of a deadly attacker in the forest. That he had blonde hair and Hyabusa armor. She made sure they sent out an array of ANBU patrols.

Her master had said to test Naruto's strength, so far she had not seen him use this immense power her master had described. She hoped it would be impressive.

Without revealing herself she watched as Naruto met up with his love, Raven from the Teen Titans. Raven was perhaps the only member of the Titan's Blackfire had even the slightest liking of. The girl was dark, favoured blue and purple colours, and she enjoyed a good dark poem. No matter, she would have to die.

Blackfire watched intently, smirking as Naruto got kicked out of his own village.

Blackfire donned another disguise. With her new powers she somehow knew everything about everyone. She knew their names, their personality. She just knew them.

She quickly found her way to Danzo's house.

Knocking on the door softly Blackfire smiled at the bandaged man as he opened the door.

"Hell, my name is Kachiki." She lied. "I have some new for you. May I come in?" Danzo hesitated for a moment.

Blackfire's hand was faster than anyone could see; it gripped his arm and crushed, Danzo gasped at the pain.

Blackfire grinned at him politely. "I asked if I could come in."

Danzo nodded vigorously.

She stepped into his home, closing the door softly.

"My name is Komand'r. And you will do as I say. There are two females traveling with Naruto Uzumaki. One of them wears a blue robe with a hood. Grab her. She has an extremely rare bloodline power, you are to find her and breed her for your own personal army. Can you do that?"

Danzo hesitated, glancing at his arm, it seemed nothing had been broken but a large bruise did prominently bulge out of the skin.

"What do you get out of it?" Danzo asked, his voice showing no fear, merely respect for power.

Blackfire grabbed him and thrust him into a wall, the house shook with the impact, a large dent cratered into the wall where he now occupied.

"You don't need to know that. Just do it." She smiled. She turned and walked out of the house.

Flying up she watched with her powers how he mobilized his men, she laughing hoarsely at her own mistake. It seemed she had forgot to mention about Raven's coat going white when she was in contact with Naruto, with that in mind the ANBU went after the only other girl, who happened to be dressed in purple.

Still, she knew it would work to her advantage.

Blackfire hovered over Naruto as Raven opened up the portal, knowing where it would lead she dashed off, tree's being split in half and some uprooted with the speed and power of her flying. She stopped after mere seconds, floating above Dante's hideout. It was below the village, in the catacombs that had been long abandoned.

Blackfire watched in awe as Naruto went wild, laughing manically as he tore the ANBU to pieces of a small wound on Raven's arm. He was rather clingy she decided and obviously overprotective.

Then she watched as Danzo showed his true colours. She smiled at the fight, until the man had Naruto at his mercy.

Blackfire, using her powers, suddenly appeared inside the installation, right ion front of Danzo. She stopped his attack, feeling the energy against her palm. The power was impressive, but nothing compared to her current level. It practically tickled against her skin.

Trigon had told her to remain hidden. But she found that being hidden was boring. As long as he got what he wanted, she didn't think he'd mind.

Blackfire grinned at Danzo. "Now, now, now. We can't have you doing anything like that can we?" She put her own power into the ball, it turned purple and spun with a red flare around it, it exploded and Danzo went back, slamming into a wall.

Blackfire walked over to him, grinning at the power she possessed and reveling in the ability to use it.

Danzo got up, seemingly unharmed, she smiled at this. He rushed forward, attacking her with a powerful punch, which she caught easily.

A powerful kick sent him into the roof. He fell back to the floor with a thud. Once again Danzo got up, kicking out at her.

Blackfire laughed manically, dodging the kicks, she grabbed one of them and reached out, Danzo stood still, his eyes wide in shock at her strength. Blackfire smiled and gently flicked him on the nose, letting go of his leg at the same time.

Danzo was sent rocketing back from the flick, the wall crumpling around him.

Blackfire approached in a rather soft-footed fashion.

"You've served your purpose." She punched down, her hand tearing through Danzo's body, blood sprayed out. Blackfire gripped the man's heart in her hand, tearing it from his chest and crushing it easily in her palm.

Blood cascaded out of the wound, Danzo's breathing became laboured.

Blackfire turned away, sending a small starbolt back at the body, blowing it to pieces.

*

Naruto watched in horror.

Blackfire was here. Not only that, she had just killed Madara in the most horrific way. He felt sick to his stomach.

Blackfire approached them; a grin of raw evil adorned her face. This was not the Blackfire he had seen before, she was corrupted by her own power, a power Naruto had no idea how she came to possess.

Naruto watched as Blackfire winked at him, and suddenly…she was gone, vanished in an instant.

And all that remained in the underground cavern was blood and darkness.

Chapter finished.

**A/N: Brutal I know. The series will keep getting darker as it goes along. We were never going to drag this on longer than we have to, ****the events will start unfolding very rapidly now. HOPE YOU ENJOY!**

**DarkUzumaki - Aerkoni**


	13. Chapter 13 Unexpected Visitor

Naruto: Rise of the Titans

Chapter 13 Unexpected Visitor

Naruto was in shock, he stared at the corpse of Madara with the focus of a collector analysing a rare doll, but this was rather involuntary. Naruto didn't want to look, but he couldn't turn away. He'd seen blood before, hell, he'd drawn it. But to see a man have his heart torn from his chest, even an evil man such as Madara…well, that was something else.

A cold hand suddenly gripped his arm and he jerked back, eyes wide and gazing in a terrified fashion at the figure beside him, but the moment recognition took place he flung himself into the girl's arms. Raven held herself to him as well, holding as tightly as she could, her body trembling, every ounce of her will power directed towards not losing her composure.

They held each other for a while; all events had come and gone seemingly at random, as though an author had written them with no discernable path to their story.

Slowly and surely they managed to pull themselves to their feet, the stale air left a bad taste in their mouths and the stench of blood was endemic in the atmosphere, the walls echoed every sound they made as they shuffled towards the door before them, a door right beside Madara's body. Forcing themselves not to look at the all but destroyed corpse they scurried, a sickening feeling came to Naruto's stomach as he kicked one of Madara's arms away, a remnant of his body when Blackfire and blasted the dying man.

The door finally came and went, obscuring the vision of Madara, something for which Naruto and Raven where both very thankful for. Their pace eventually picked up and they forced themselves back into their usual qualities, searching for Jinx.

*

Strange lights whirled around her and voices could be heard in the distance, the place shook and rocked and screams erupted out. This was not a dream, it was a nightmare.

Hands were on her, but these were strangely comforting, wrapping around her and fondling her wrists, she was then being lifted from her position and carried by someone, and angel it seemed, she drifted back off.

She awoke three hours earlier.

The sound of a trickling stream was pleasant to her, and she felt like she could return to her peaceful slumber, but movement and a sense of something urgent seemed to weigh heavily on her mind, and this seemingly refused her the slumber she desired.

Begrudgingly she opened her lids and whimpered slightly, the hot light of the sun breaking through the tree's stung her eyes.

"Jinx?" A soft and concerned voice said.

She looked over and was greeted by the warm handsome face of Naruto Uzumaki. She jumped on him.

A black shroud suddenly pinned her to the floor and an annoyed Raven stood over her, Jinx grinned innocently.

*

"Good to see your feeling better." Naruto said with a soft smile. "We found you unconscious in one of-" He paused for a moment. "-well, point is your safe now. When you get your strength back, we've decided that we can't run away from this, Blackfire's here Jinx."

Jinxes eyes widened in shock and fear. "What…what we gonna do?" She asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"As I said, we can't run from her, we have to face her and beat her. We're going looking for her the moment your strong again." He smiled.

"That wouldn't be such a good idea, Naruto." Said an all too familiar voice.

A shiver crept down Naruto's spine, his head turned slowly in disbelief and gazed at the masked man, the sunlight reflecting off of his half golden mask and splashing an array of yellow, gold's and whites onto the rocks by his feet.

The very presence of this man, alive and well filled Naruto with fear and a partial sense of wonder.

Slade was in Konoha…and he was alive.

Chapter Finished.

A/N I would apologise for being late in getting this out..but then again, I'm always late these days. Deal with it. XD Still, hope you all enjoyed this chapter…STAY TUNED!


	14. Chapter 14 Revelations

Naruto: Rise of the Titans

Chapter 14 Revelations

Naruto stood up, his body rigid with fear. He had personally made sure that Slade breathed no more, yet here he stood.

"How?" Was the only word he could muster in his present state of mind.

"I'm here to help, that's all you need to know." Slade replied.

Naruto felt a wave of confusion cloud over his mind, Slade was here…to help.

"What do you mean help? Why would you help us?" Naruto asked angrily, his temper rising. The wind whipped around them, Naruto's pale blonde hair whipped around his face.

"Because I know what their planning and it's not in my best interests." Slade replied, the sentence peeking Naruto's curiosity and also his anger.

"Who are _they_? And what do you know?" Naruto all but shouted, still keeping his distance between him and the supposed to be dead-man.

Slade approached Naruto halting just short of a meter away. "Blackfire is working for someone." He replied, his gaze turning slowly to Raven who's eyes in turn went wide in realisation.

"No." She said, trying to deny her thoughts.

"Rachel, are you okay?" Naruto asked her, his voice full of concern.

"Your beloved future bride to be has figured out your enemy." Naruto's head turned to Slade as he said the words, looking back and fourth from Raven and Slade.

"What is he on about?" Naruto asked in a quivering voice, for some unknown reason he felt a well of fear erupting inside of him, it was becoming hard to contain.

"Blackfire is working for Raven's father, Trigon." Slade elaborated.

"What?! How do you know?" Naruto asked angrily, his teeth gritted, he had no actual reason to be angry, but it seemed his emotions were currently all over the place.

"I don't have to explain my sources to you, the fact is I know. And I know it for a fact. I also know what he's after. He's after the Tailed Demons of this world, including yours Naruto Uzumaki…Including Kyuubi."

This revelation struck home for Naruto, his head swam with thoughts and images in his mind, uncertain of many things and becoming confused on others. He felt himself swoon and he had to consciously fight to keep himself awake as the information washed over his brain. It was almost too much.

"Why?" Naruto finally asked. "Why does he want the demons?"

"He is trapped, he can influence and empower, he can do many an insidious deed, but he is not free. Forever trapped within a dimension that he did not choose or want, trapped there by the very monks that raised your beloved girlfriend there." Slade replied, turning his head to Raven. "Your power of Kyuubi's energy allowed you to absorb the body and soul and chakra energy of many people and tear open a whole in the fabric of time and space, transporting you to the world where you met the Titans. Trigon knows this; he knows the power you hold. He wants that power, but the other tailed demons aren't enough, he wants them all, and he wants you too."

Naruto had been expecting riddles and things of a like, but Slade was being rather more fourth coming about this than Naruto had originally anticipated. A cheeky and scornfully demeaning comment rose to jhis mind, and he couldn't help but announce it to Slade.

"Why would we need you, thanks for the information and all, but I already beat you once, killed you. Or so I thought. How could you help us?" Naruto asked with a slight smirk.

Despite Naruto and Ravens inability to see Slade's mouth, judging from his one eye, they were vaguely aware that he was smiling behind that mask of his.

"Because Naruto Uzumaki." Slade started. "I can't die."

Chapter Finished


	15. Chapter 15 Answers

**Naruto: ROTT: Deathstroke in Konoha**

Chapter 15 Answers

"Come clean Slade, I'll let you help us, but only if you tell us everything, how you survived, why you can't die, who you are!" Naruto demanded, his anger subsiding slightly but his irritation barely being shifted, he detested the very presence of Slade, but he did need answers.

"Who I am." Slade repeated. "Fine then Naruto, I shall tell you the secret of my origins, but first, you must promise to never tell Robin."

Naruto felt confused and rather shocked by this demand but cautiously nodded in agreement.

"I am Slade." Said the black and gold masked villain in a simple and casual way. "Slade Wilson, originally known as Deathstroke the Terminator."

The name Deathstroke the Terminator sent a chill down Naruto's spine as he listened to Slade's words.

"Like your-self I am not from the Titan's world, but from another world in which the Titan's are much older. I was enlisted by the military as a mercenary, being on hand and ready for anything I applied for non-enhanced treatments. The result of which is a body that is nigh indestructible, I can heal from any wound, no matter how grievous, of course I still felt pain for a long while, though due to how long ago it was, I have become immune to such emotions." Slade's single visible eye narrowed slightly.

Naruto, not being the smartest individual only barely understood the concept that Slade was talking about, he didn't know what nano-enhancement's were, but he understood the healing part.

"I had a family in my world, a good family. But a sinister mad man named Jackal kidnapped my son Joseph, in the commotion of me trying to save him, my boy's throat was slit, cutting his vocal cords. He was never able to speak again. At the hospital, my wife Adeline, she was furious that I endangered our son. She shot me in my right eye, which is why I wear a mask, this was however, before the nano-enhancements, and sadly the treatment of the nanites did not heal old wounds. But I was so very confident in my abilities, I don't really need my right eye, I can beat anyone. My brain is like a super computer Naruto, I am a combat and tactical genius. You cannot comprehend my ability."

Naruto found himself chuckling at that. "If you're so great, then why is it the Titan's always kick your butt." He said nonchalantly.

"The titan's never do Naruto, the only one that ever bests me is Robin. And there is a reason behind that. Sadly, by an unfortunate twist of fate, the Robin you know looks very much like my own son."

Slade's eyes turned away for a moment, betraying an emotion that if Naruto hadn't seen for himself, would never knew Slade was capable of…sadness.

"Tell me Naruto, could you fight all out and kill a person that looked like Raven? That reminded you of her?"

The question cut deep into Naruto, he had never thought of it, but as he thought then, he realized Slade was right, he didn't think he could fight all out against someone that looked like Raven.

"Combined I have beaten the Titan's when they all fight me many a time, it is very easy when they all attack, I'm able to concentrate on just my reactions, counterattacking their attack's, but one on one with Robin, and I can do nothing but look at his face…and see my son, Joseph. Joseph grew up, and he developed the ability to possess people's bodies, a useful ability, but he often used it against me, hating me for his inability to speak." Slade said in an almost bitter voice. "Eventually, by a turn for the worst my now ex wife, having left me since what happened to my son, well, she fell seriously ill. I opted for a blood transfusion, sadly, my blood gave her the ability to heal from any wound, she became insane, wanting to die, always able to feel pain yet never able to die. She begged for it in the end, I actually enlisted the Titan's help, as a mercy, I chopped my wife into tiny pieces, and Koriand'r, or Starfire as you know her, star bolted the pieces, incinerating them. The most merciful death I could manage."

Slade's voice had gone cold, thought Naruto would usually describe his voice as cold, he felt an icy chill swamp over him as Slade's story obviously surfaced feelings in Slade of bitterness, darkness, and depression.

"That wasn't the end to my sacrifice; you Raven, your people made me kill my own son." Slade's eyes became pained as he glanced at Raven, whose features where now a mask of shock and disbelief. "The spirits of Azurath were drawn to my son's power, the inhabited him and sent him insane, for a single brief moment before my son attempted to kill me in his madness, he begged me to kill him. My son could not heal like I could, so I complied, shove my sword through his heart, an act that haunts me to this day." Slade gazes at Naruto, a shocked silence filled the air.

"In my grief I came to the Titan's world you know by means I will not tell you, the titan's were young, juvenile, not even teenagers at the time, but I don't age. I amassed a wealth and contacts before they reached their teens, and waited for them to take the roles I knew they would. I wanted to make things different. Though as time passed, you'll find I had a lot of free thinking time. In time my grief turned to anger, then from anger to rage. I no longer blamed myself for everything, I blamed myself and the Titan's, and I vowed I would destroy them. However, by the time this revelation and ideal had sunk and rooted itself within me, the Titan's were a feared fighting force for good already, and so began my complain against them." Slade paused for a while. "Shall I continue and describe every day up to this point for you, or are you satisfied with that." Slade said in a slightly snappy way.

"That'll do. It explains a lot. And fine, you can help us."

**Chapter finished.**

A/N other chapters will be longer, but thought you'd want this backstory in one chapter on its own. These origins are a mixture of my own interpretation of the actual Slade origin's, and a nice explanation as to why all the titans seem to get the hell kicked out of them by slade, yet robin always beats slade up in the end. I have always wondered about it and thought I'd give my own explanation. :D it also explains how slade has in the past known far more about the titans than he possably could have know. Well, hope you enjoyed the chapter. LOVE YA!

DarkUzumaki + Aerkoni


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